I noted with interest Peter Hellyer's column An older, wiser generation will be making the UAE their adopted home (September 18) and your letter-writer KV Shamsudheen, who stated New retirement law will change the face of the UAE.
This great step will stop the brain drain. The UAE has taken a bold step to give meaningful life to its most senior residents.
In my 40 years in the UAE, I have seen many colleagues who left for greener pastures, where the pastures turned out not to be so green. They could not get jobs or renew visas because they were deemed to be too “old”.
When I, as an old man, turned up for an interview for a job that I had done for half a century, I too was told I was “old”. I challenged the interviewer to push-ups and agreed to submit for strict medical test.
Additionally, some airlines still do not employ candidates over 60, even for a ground job.
I implore the authorities here to not to let older residents degenerate into rotten vegetables but to let them compete with younger individuals. Let the UAE be an equal opportunity employer and let no one be rejected, simply on the basis of their date of birth. That’s how UAE will become a truly great nation.
Kanwar Hayat, Dubai
Our senior residents are a goldmine of experience
With reference to your wise editorial Golden years visas will enrich the whole community (September 18), it is indeed true that many foreign residents who work for decades in the UAE perceive the country as their home. They are perturbed by the thought of returning to the countries from which they hail.
The UAE is one of the best-managed countries in the world and the Government is truly solicitous of its residents, whether they are local or from overseas. All dealings are transparent and digitised. Cities are well-managed and residents feel safe.
Those who live in the UAE for protracted periods find it difficult, nay, impossible, to settle down elsewhere. They cannot handle the corruption, congested traffic, poor health facilities, lack of hygiene and cleanliness when they return to their home countries.
Hence it is wonderful to note that senior citizens will be permitted to live in the UAE post-retirement on fulfilling some conditions. Seniors are a goldmine of experience and knowledge. They can continue contributing to the UAE as advisers, consultants and non-executive directors in the corporate and government sectors so everyone benefits.
Rajendra Aneja, Dubai
The battle to end world poverty starts right here
With regards your online story Bill Gates thanks UAE for role in the fight to end world poverty (September 18), the Microsoft giant has committed to a noble philanthropic gesture by fighting malaria, polio and reducing global poverty. The UAE has given him wonderful support in this endeavour.
K Ragavan, Bengaluru
How to help
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Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Details
Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny
Forewords by Jacqueline Bisset and Charlotte Rampling, ACC Art Books
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
