When Rita Bufton responded to a job advertisement in 1979 for work in an unfamiliar Middle Eastern city, she never imagined the four-decade adventure that lay ahead.
The 28-year-old, then working in a bank in Paris, quickly settled in as personal assistant to the head of a UAE company in the food service and sports equipment business.
Since then, there are few sectors she has not explored during four decades of working in Dubai.
“If you think you can do it, go for it, this country has taught me that,” said Ms Bufton, 71, whose diary is filled with farewell lunches and dinners after years of service come to an end this month.
If you think you can do it, go for it, this country has taught me that
Rita Bufton
“If you believe in yourself and you want it badly enough, you can do it. The freedom this country affords allows you to follow your dream.”
Fluent in French and Arabic, she worked in engineering and ship repair companies as a secretary and PRO — a role in the UAE that handles employment sponsorship and visa applications.
The British expatriate once worked as a debt collector, spent years with a local television station, translated, edited and wrote for magazines, and worked in the publishing industry until she landed her current job as office manager and researcher in a risk assessment company.
“I would just go and sit and wait,” she said about a job recovering unpaid maintenance dues for a marine company.
“Some people would try to get away with not paying. Talking on the phone met with no success so I would go to offices and wait until they paid up.”
On work siestas and no street lights
Ms Bufton has seen the country transform, remembers a city without paved roads and tells of unnerving experiences driving on the Dubai-Sharjah road without street lights.
The main landmarks then were Al Mulla Plaza in Sharjah and the Trade Centre in Dubai.
She also recalls a tightly knit community and a relaxed working environment with a siesta break.
“It was two lanes up and two lanes down on the Dubai Sharjah road. It was so scary driving without street lights,” she said.
One of her most enjoyable memories was the early 1980s when Dubai residents could visit the royal palaces during Eid.
“It was acceptable then on the second day of Eid to go to the palace to the big majlis,” she said.
“To me that was such a privilege to wish the sheikhas ‘Eid Mubarak’ and then go to the dining room with huge tables full of food.
“It was special to be allowed into the palace, the sheikha's home. I couldn’t go and visit the queen, god rest her soul. For me it was equivalent to visiting the queen.”
How Ms Rita touched lives
The job that gave her the most satisfaction was tutoring children, including many Emiratis, and watching their confidence soar with their scores in English, French, maths and science.
“It opened my eyes to how important it is to teach,” she said.
Ms Rita, as she was known, tutored after work hours and took in mainly Emirati pupils, studying in government and private schools. She helped several generations of UAE families get comfortable with written and spoken English.
Emirati Reem Ali learnt English and French from Ms Bufton from the age of eight.
Then her mother, aunts, cousins and now her four-year-old son followed.
“She touched all our lives,” said Ms Ali, a human resources professional.
“She is really close to my heart. She was part of my education growing up.”
For friends such as Paula Cox, Ms Bufton was the source of a wealth of information about early days in the UAE.
“Rita is a story teller and people are instantly drawn to her,” said Ms Cox, who runs a business coaching company.
“She has such amazing stories to share and is that special person who means so much to so many people.”
Set aside a nest egg
In the early days, her accommodation and car were paid for by the companies she worked for. This helped her save and she bought a flat in France.
“It’s important to save because you don’t have a pension and life here is not cheap,” she said.
“I managed to buy a flat in France in the very early days.
“I don’t know whether now I would have been able to save enough because salaries went down and benefits are not the same.
It’s important to save because you don’t have a pension and life here is not cheap
“It’s not the land of milk and honey that I came to in 1979 but it’s still better than a lot of places on this Earth and I’m still sad to leave.”
Ms Bufton enjoyed being accepted in Emirati society.
“I stayed because I liked the place, it was comfortable and safe and as a single woman I really, really enjoyed it,” she said.
“It was very important to integrate and I fit in. I tell people, ‘Don’t try and buck the system'.
“We are guests in this county and I don’t think anybody should ever forget that.”
Sad to leave
Ms Bufton grew up in Bedford and plans to retire in Tewkesbury, a riverside town in the UK.
She feels like she belongs in the UAE more than in Britain that she wants to visit once every couple of years.
“I feel like a foreigner when I go there [the UK],” she said.
“This was more home than UK. I have forgotten how things work there.”
Ms Bufton leaves Dubai next month for the UK but has no plans to retire. She may continue with credit research work, translation or write a memoir.
“I actually thought this was my retirement but who knows when I get back to the UK, will I be bored?” she said.
“Maybe write a book about my stay here, there are people asking about it.”
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
The Specs:
The Specs:
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 444bhp
Torque: 600Nm
Price: AED 356,580 incl VAT
On sale: now.
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Sunday:
GP3 race: 12:10pm
Formula 2 race: 1:35pm
Formula 1 race: 5:10pm
Performance: Guns N' Roses
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
