Children need to read stories from their own culture

A reader says students need more relevant textbooks. Other topics: obesity, litter, tigers and the Dubai Tram.

A reader says that students in the UAE need more relevant textbooks. Ravindranath K / The National

I am delighted that Emirati authors, especially of children's literature, are beginning to surface (Three Emiratis on longlist for Sheikh Zayed Book Award, February 14).

Amira Al Marzouqi notes the dearth of local works is due to a lack of role models. I believe there is another reason.

I visit schools where very large American textbooks are full of stories that fail to connect with this country let alone anywhere else in the Middle East. Children are encouraged to empathise with the feelings of children in cultures far removed from their own and about topics from US history such as the Lewis and Clark expedition and the Louisiana Purchase.

I don’t know why the companies touting these enormous tomes do not have it within them to produce a text with stories, poems, articles, interviews and other material relevant to young people.

Until this happens, the local talent Amira speaks of will be seriously undervalued.

Judith Finnemore, Al Ain

Parents should promote fitness

Fast-food is jeopardising health of UAE residents, experts warn (February 12) serves as a timely warning.

Obesity, or the chronic state of being overweight, is one of the biggest health threats that faces people in the developed world. Take a walk near your neighbourhood and you will be amazed to see the number of fast-food restaurants in a row.

But it’s never too late to have a healthy lifestyle. It’s not necessarily important to get out in the scorching heat to burn the fat off; there are many ways you can exercise at home. Parents should set a better example. If children only see their parents sitting around, they will pick up this trait.

Parents have to show interest in their children and help them to get involved in activities around the community. There is a lot of happening out there, but many of us just stay at home all day playing with the latest gadget.

An hour of exercise every day would certainly help to cut the fat. Instead of creating air pollution by going out for a drive, we should step out into the nearest park.

And instead of getting food home delivered and using valet parking services, we should do our own chores.

Matthew Litty, Dubai

Sale of tigers is irresponsible

What has happened to the prohibition on the ownership of dangerous animals that was put in place in Sharjah in ­December?

On Friday, I saw three tiger cubs for sale at the Sharjah souq. This is wrong and irresponsible.

Traders in rare and endangered species should be put out of business.

Peter Dickinson, Dubai

Litterers ought to be punished

I recently found a rusty bin overflowing with cigarette butts, matches and other rubbish just 20 metres from Hamdan Street in Abu Dhabi city centre.

I understand that fines can be imposed for littering – including dumping cigarette ends and chewing gum – but there appears to be no enforcement of the rules.

Jeremy Weeks, Abu Dhabi

Commuter not a fan of trams

I want to take issue with your editorial, Trams are the glue of cities (February 15).

I use the Dubai Tram for my morning commute, but seemingly nobody else does. I’d love to know how it is viewed as a success.

So far, all the tram has done is slow down traffic and vastly increase not only journey times but distances travelled by private vehicles.

The ban on left turns is a problem for motorists, but I can guarantee that none of them will start using the tram instead of their cars. Name withheld by request

Is the daily gridlock caused by the tram part of a sneaky plan to get me to ride the tram?

Stuart Mansbridge, Dubai

The traffic was getting better after the tram work was completed. However, closing the left-turn lanes because of the behaviour of a couple of idiots has turned the area back into a car park. Craig Reid, Dubai

The trams are painfully slow. It is still faster to drive around the Marina area.

Also, the card readers don’t seem to be working properly. My wife sometimes gets charged twice when she swipes her card to get on the tram.

Jonathan Taillefer, Dubai