ABU DHABI // A lorryload of rotten food disappeared on its way to the rubbish tip - and reappeared in the same shop that had condemned it in the first place.
The rice, pistachio nuts, oil and vine leaves came from a storage warehouse belonging to Al Mustaqbal supermarket in Al Ain. They were part of a 90-tonne batch sent to be destroyed after a fire in a neighbouring warehouse raised temperatures in the supermarket's storage area to unhygienic levels.
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Last Updated: June 9, 2011
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After the lorry disappeared its owner, the food wholesaler Al Maya, told Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) it had found the contents back on Al Mustaqbal's shelves.
Inspectors did not find any on the shelves, but the authority said the supermarket owner admitted buying the food from an "unknown individual". He told them he had returned it as soon as he realised it was bad.
The case was referred to Al Ain police, and the public prosecution has taken over the investigation.
Mohamed Jalal al Reyaysa, ADFCA's communications director, promised "stern action" if the allegations are proven.
He described consumer safety as "a red line we will never allow anyone to cross" and said the incident was serious. "We will not show any leniency towards the culprits."
cmalek@thenational.ae
Top tips
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
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The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.