It's not austerity, it's just balance

It is wrong to say "austerity", as Francois Hollande does, when we mean "paying the bills," a reader says; better to call it "common sense." Other letters: abandoned cars, Emiratisation, Mawaqif, parenting and earphones.

Politicians like Francois Hollande call it "austerity" but it's really just prudence, a reader says. Franck Fife / AFP

I agree 100 per cent that the private sector is handling Emiratisation poorly (Freeze 'government employment of Emiratis' May 7).

I left a great government job to work for a multinational transportation and logistics company in Dubai, to get training. I was, I think, the second Emirati ever to join this company.

They promised training, development and mentoring but the true reason they hired me was to fill their quota of Emiratis.

I am a US graduate with an MBA but they sidelined me after only three months, gave me no work, forced me into shift work and regularly threatened me with termination.

The business was run by other nationalities who looked at us Emiratis as lazy and unproductive. I was eventually coerced into resigning in exchange for two months' compensation.

Name withheld by request

Derelict vehicles make us look bad

It was surprising to learn that some boats had been left along the banks of Dubai Creek for as long as 17 years (Abandoned boats removed from creek, May 8). It took that long to get some action, but better late than never.

An ultimatum should also be given to the owners of abandoned vehicles in the streets and in parking lots.

They damage the general appearance of the emirate. Graffiti in the heavy dust covering them shows that they are unloved and unwanted. Residents and guests have the impression of a city in hard times. Have the owners of these vehicles "done a runner" and left their dream cars behind?

Abandoned cars and boats should not be allowed to disfigure our cities.

Ali Sedat Budak, Abu Dhabi

Mawaqif makes people stay home

I refer to the letter to the editor Mawaqif is not living up to its optimistic motto (May 8).

The only thing Mawaqif had helped me do is to stay at home more often and avoid moving my car anytime after 5pm. If I did I would suffer trying to find parking.

One reader commented that she wasted an hour looking for parking around her home, and finally had to park in a different area and catch a taxi home.

I have seen worse: I wasted two hours and a half one late night, and was so fed up and desperate to go home that I had to park in one of the 10 empty disabled parking spots in my area. I got up at 6am to move my car but a parking ticket was already on my windscreen.

Mawaqif should change its motto to "less time searching for parking, more time to stay at home".

Ahmed Fekri, Abu Dhabi

Call it good sense, not 'austerity'

Thank you for the sensible editorial Voters can only stall euro zone's austerity reality (May 9).

But I am dismayed at the incessant media misuse of the word "austerity". What is meant, in this context, is "balanced budgets" or "nearly balanced budgets".

Words matter, and it is wrong to let this nasty-sounding word be used this way. My proposal: what is now called austerity should always be called "common sense" or "paying your bills". And the lavish deficit spending that got the world into this mess should be called "waste" or "reckless borrowing".

Try it: "French president-elect Francois Hollande today repeated his opposition to common sense and his support for a return to reckless borrowing."

Much clearer, isn't it?

Peter Burrell, Dubai

Western peoples facing economic hardships must understand that their countries can no longer afford socialism.

Austerity measures may be painful in the short-term, but are the only antidote to their woes. It was not markets that caused this situation, it was a lack of political will.

Elan Fabbri, Dubai

Modern bullying is mainly online

Which parenting style do you subscribe to? (May 8) reminds me that there used to be a time when you could get away from bullying. But it's not that way any more.

For kids who are being bullied, it now follows them home and every- where, because so much of the bullying happens online.

Lots of kids turn to drastic measures to either protect themselves or hurt themselves. It is so tragic.

Heather Harrison, US

Celebrities profit from earphones

Since I am looking for good headphones, I was interested in Audio attack (May 9) about celebrity-branded listening tools.

But I do wish you had also listed at least one reliable non-celebrity brand, to give us that option. Those star musicians are making money from their names, which is fine for them but costly for us.

Bruce Bailey, Abu Dhabi