Abandoned cars are still with us

Abandoned cars in Musaffah line the streets. A reader advocates the elimination of old cars in order to reduce congestion and improve air quality.

I refer to Safety fears over abandoned cars (February 14). Just about the whole of Musaffah is a ramshackle eyesore; the abandoned cars fit in well in this forgotten quarter and a lot of those decrepit cars are actually used. What happened to the 10 year age rule? That would be a good way to reduce congestion and improve air quality. Ford Desmoineaux, Abu Dhabi

In reference to Sultan Al Qassemi's opinion article Some long-term residents should have residency (February 13), the thought is forward looking. This could be a giant step for the UAE and maybe the GCC as well. America is today what it is because of the mix of the population and of absorbing and nurturing talents. In a way this will give incentive to the local population to strive and excel. But the fear in giving citizenship is not without basis. With an expat population four times that of the locals the issue is certainly to be tread upon carefully. We must also remember that the country is just 38 years old - a blink of the eye in the life of nations. Sooner or later one has to arrive at a decision that will be good for one's country and motivate expats to give their best. Dr KB Vijayakujmar PhD, Dubai

There is an assumption that refusing to nationalise people who come to one's country and clearly contribute to its development is a form of bigotry. This perhaps is true of western nations but not of the Gulf - mainly because there is no moral high ground for the white race in those nations because they are essentially settlers in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. These nations started giving citizenship to the actual people of the nations they had colonised and then things became open from there on forward as in the UK, France and Holland.

The UAE, for the most part, was only inhabited by non-Emiratis after it presented an exciting employment opportunity. Hence pro-immigration arguments or the larger comparison to the western experience does not hold. There is a homogenous culture here whose bedrock is Bedouin identity and to which the other ethnicities which make the national fabric have all contributed. Are we far right wing fundamentalists because we want to preserve that? Are we closing the door completely? No. What do we want from people who claim they wish to be Emirati? To demonstrate it. I will not entertain requests for citizenship by people who are not interested in embracing our cultural practices, let alone speak with the accent, let alone speak the language. Mishaal al Gergawi, Dubai

In reference to the article Impending muzak rage on the Metro (February 11), Phillippa Kennedy's comments on the Metro's muzak were spot on. I've used the Metro a few times, and the muzak was the only negative aspect to an otherwise pleasant experience. A recent letter writer (A fan of the music on the Metro, February 10) suggested that the muzak (it really shouldn't be graced with the word "music") is preferable to the buzz of conversation. I fear there must be something wrong with his ears. Please, RTA, just switch it off. Philip Bowler, Abu Dhabi
The piped music is a crime against the Metro. Please stop this mockery. The Metro should be silent. I have travelled in Paris and Berlin and never heard such a thing. You will occasionally find someone playing an instrument, which is kind of cool because it's "occasional" and not compulsory. The musician will stop if he feels that the audience doesn't like his playing. But we have no defences against muzak. Name withheld by request

Regarding the letter Silicon Valley runs on coffee (February 8), here's food for thought: Coorg in the former princely state of Mysore (now Karnataka) was once the home of India's best coffee plantations. In post-independence India, they vanished, like the generals in Mercara who proudly nurtured them. Nescafe is now all the rage and the cup that cheers tastes like dishwater. Vernon Ram, Hong Kong

Little has improved in my three years of having to drive in the fog here. Many either still do not use their lights or slow down, and accidents regularly occur. Surprising to some expats, the frequency of fog in the UAE is much greater than back in Europe, and yet cars do not have to be fitted with rear fog lights. UAE car import standards should demand the fitting of rear fog lights by manufacturers. Then educate drivers to turn them on and slow down. Charles Thom, Abu Dhabi