Old lorries need to be taken off road

A reader sys scrapping lorries that are over 20 years old would be sensible. Other topics: labourers, building construction

A reader says scrapping lorries that are over 20 years old would be sensible. Ravindranath K / The National

Safety experts' advice that lorries that are more than 20 years old should be taken off the road makes sense (Take old heavy lorries off UAE's roads, safety experts say, April 13). If implemented, the move will reduce air pollution in the long term.

With the increasing number of vehicles, safety issues are also increasing. What the authorities need to do is strictly implement the rules.

Swapnil Bhausaheb Lakade, Dubai

Poor labourers merit attention

In reference to the news item Companies 'should provide mental health insurance for labourers' in the UAE (April 7), the living conditions of labourers are pretty squalid. Recently I carried out an inspection of a labour camp. It was dark, cramped and full of mould.

Dave Pryce, Abu Dhabi

Everyone who works in this country faces a tremendous amount of stress. So mental health treatment should be a top priority for everyone.

Jennie Egloff, Abu Dhabi

It’s sad that no one cares for blue-collar workers. I hope someone takes some concrete action to make their lives better.

They work for companies that make millions of dirhams in profit, but they do not recognise the fact that it’s for these poor men that they make these profits.

Akram Salem, Abu Dhabi

In reference to the article Depression 'a big issue' for isolated UAE expatriates (April 7), reducing the cost of medication significantly would be a good start, as well as all insurance companies covering mental health issues.

Over Dh300 a month for medication and Dh450 for a consultation only compounds the stress and worry.

The cost alone can lead to sufferers either not seeking help or giving up and regressing deeper into mental health problems.

Andrew Garrett, Dubai

It would help if they changed the law. Arresting a desperate and depressed person seeking to end their life makes matters worse. We live in an unnatural environment. Some heartless people would say, just leave. That’s easier said than done. We’re all trying to cope, but let’s not forget that we are human, and so are others.

Name withheld by request

This is exacerbated by the fact that there is a stigma about mental health issues here, which is reflected by the fact that some health plans do not cover mental-health treatment. This can cause people who are facing challenges to incur tremendous out-of-pocket costs, or to choose to forgo treatment.

Jennie Egloff, Dubai

Depression and anxiety must be covered by insurance, because it’s not a luxury to go to a psychologist or psychiatrist but a necessity.

Maha Abdellatif Ben Achour, Dubai

The “professionals” need to stop pointing fingers at social media and video games and focus on building and developing a decent psychiatric in-patient unit.

We lack even the most basic treatment options and it’s upsetting. Blaming video games and social media does nothing, because they are a part of everyday life.

The numbers are startling and something concrete needs to be done.

Dana Al Ansari, Dubai

Why build more flats and villas?

A large and growing number of villas and flats in Abu Dhabi seem to be empty and yet thousands more are being built. Why?

What is the projected population of the capital city in 2020?- Surely it isn’t five or six million and yet the developers continue apace.

Where are all these people coming from and what are they going to do?

Dennis Waterston, Abu Dhabi