Keep your objectives in perspective

Readers advise people to spend prudently. Other topics: EU, VAT, gorilla

Readers advise the public to spend money responsibly. Antonie Robertson / The National

People forget why they came here (Father-of-one's UAE salary swallowed up by Dh109,000 loan and card repayments, June 14). Some come for the travel, but the majority come for money in an attempt to secure a better future.

But sadly they get caught up in the lifestyle, and forget that they are not here on holiday. Pretty easy to do when suddenly you have more cash than you’re used to. And banks offer an easy way to get it.

Anthony Edwards, Abu Dhabi

Instead of crying to newspapers about your debt, perhaps the borrower should take responsibility especially since he has a child and stop spending so much. If he wants to spend, he can do so on the child’s future. That would probably be a worthwhile investment.

Clint D'Souza, Dubai

EU is good for nothing

I do not agree with Faisal Al Yafai's views (Without the EU, old demons will return to the Balkans, June 14). Without the EU, the Balkans would prosper; they would be debt free and there wouldn't be any rich and poor system. There won't be forced recession or forced UK control. With the EU, Macedonia's demographics would have been changed by the illegal aliens from Greece. No to EU, no to Nato.

Sash Van Damme, Germany

VAT might harm the economy

In reference to the article IMF says Gulf countries can increase GDP by 1.5% by implementing VAT (June 10), it is true we do not have VAT, but the cost of living is already one of the highest in the world.

If VAT is introduced, it will put more pressure on GDP as many expatriates will leave the country. Instead of a GDP increase I expect it to drop. So the IMF is trying to seduce the GCC. I personally hope that they did their homework during better times.

Gerrit Ai, Dubai

Winston Churchill once said that “for a nation to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle”.

Guglielmo Molteni, Dubai

The IMF is supposed to be a funding organisation not a controlling entity.

Sadly, it wants to control all the countries in the world.

Amjad Khan, Dubai

Human life must get the priority

I watched the clip in which I the gorilla at the Cleveland zoo dragged the child like a rug, injuring him in the process (Man's inhumanity, June 2). As I watched the video I held my breath. What if the gorilla sat on him or threw him on the rocks? The zookeepers did their best in this situation and I think they took the right decision, although it is sad that the gorilla died. It's easy to blame the mother, but remember that accidents happen.

In any accident, you give human life priority over everything else and we all know that.

Benazir Zakir, Duabi

The problem with data

I couldn't agree more with the authors of the article Happiness can only be judged through accurate data (June 8). Survey data in the country is generally treated with a complete lack of respect for the audience as well as the science of statistics.

Spurious claims are often published based on unknown sample sizes, sampling methods, descriptive statistics and margins of error.

In short, we simply cannot trust any statistic shared by the local media sources.

Name withheld by request