Is anybody able to explain to me why playing golf in this country is so exorbitantly expensive? I have just returned from a holiday in the UK and I played on half a dozen different courses – some very upmarket in the London area and many in more rustic and rural locations.
Despite the fact that labour costs are much lower in the UAE, golf courses here are charging four or five times the level of green fees charged in the UK. What is the possible explanation for this?
Golf, as a sport, is losing participants all over the world and at the current prices many more will certainly disappear. Can something be done about this?
Dennis Watkinson, Abu Dhabi
Prison will not help addicts
Lawyers are right to call for abolishing the four-year mandatory prison sentence for drug abusers (Call to drop minimum UAE jail term for drug abuse, October 6). This practice is as counterproductive as it is to jail people for failing to pay their debt.
If it was so simple to tackle addiction, then the problem would not have spread like a wildfire across the world.
This brings to mind the Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s ruthless campaign against addicts (as well as drug dealers). If only that could resolve this issue.
The more ideal solution would be to get the drug problem under control through treatment.
Alatea Santos, Dubai
Penalties need to be stiffer
I think the compensation for the two boys was inadequate (Emirati teens win Dh2.4m in compensation for chemical burns, September 27). Companies that cause such harm to individuals through their callous actions should be penalised in such a way that it hurts their profitability. That's the only way to stop them from dumping waste irresponsibly.
Giles Heaton, Dubai
They should have appealed for guaranteed payment of lifetime medical needs from the company.
Nora Al Suwaidi, Dubai
Will the Finnish model work?
You cannot just cut and paste a "western" education model ('Finland's secret to success is teachers', Abu Dhabi forum hears, October 6). However, there are some points from where it can start.
1. Schools should not substitute for day care. So there is no need to start school at four years old.
2. Learning outside the classroom is an excellent idea. So why does Adec stifle this?
3. Learning is about questioning and children should be encouraged to do that.
Mark Freeman, Abu Dhabi
Please can we have a Finnish-style teaching system that will foster talent, as well as encourage and nurture the uniqueness of every individual in a stress-free environment? Teachers should also get the respect they deserve. After all they are the ones who groom the future generation.
Tanya Milbourne, Abu Dhabi
Scandinavian systems function in that particular region, not outside of it. It definitely would not work in places where children have discipline issues.
Victor Crainic, Dubai
People fleeced by dentists
I liked your story on dentists (UAE health insurance system 'being abused by unscrupulous dentists', October 5), because I could relate it to my personal experience.
I wanted to get my wisdom tooth extracted and I visited five clinics for that in Dubai and Ajman. The lowest price quoted to me was Dh2,800. So I got it done in Kenya during my vacation – for just Dh450.
Robert Otwori, Ajman
