Shelina Janmohamed is an author and a culture columnist for The National
April 28, 2023
In case you missed the news, it will soon be the coronation of King Charles III. At the age of 74, he has spent more time waiting to take up his role than any other British monarch. He follows the longest-reigning monarch in British and English history. And his namesakes probably make for nervous reading: Charles I was beheaded in 1649 after which Oliver Cromwell declared England to be a republic. Charles II became the king of England in 1660 in what’s known as the Restoration. Now, the third Charles in this trilogy also comes at a time of controversy and precariousness for the British royal family, set to a wider context of the country grappling with its sense of identity.
More than any other institution, the monarchy is the most symbolic of Britain – its past certainly. The question, of course, is does it symbolise its future?
A YouGov poll for BBC’s Panorama programme found that 26 per cent of people think the UK should have an elected head of state and a further 16 per cent don’t know. The remaining 58 per cent that think Britain should continue with the monarchy. But these data points belie a generational shift. It’s the over 65s – at 78 per cent – that support the monarchy. But in every increasingly younger age bracket, this reduces – ultimately to just 32 per cent among 18-24 year olds. And in that same age group, they are outnumbered by those who favour an elected head of state (38 per cent).
On the Coronation Tour Bus route in London on Monday. AP Photo
The coronation is a big deal. It is the opening of the next chapter in Britain's story
Whatever the political stance of King Charles’s subjects (we are subjects in the UK, not citizens), the country is currently coronation-tastic. Union Jacks flutter from lampposts up and down high streets. Giant flags hang like bunting in major shopping areas. Supermarkets are stocking coronation biscuit tins. The British do seem to love a good souvenir shortbread container. And retail windows are sporting the coronation insignia wherever you go.
The coronation is a big deal, of course it is. It is the opening of the next chapter in Britain's story. When stories of nations and empires are told, those stories focus on the grand achievements – the wealth, the conquests and the “big characters”, including monarchs and army generals. And nowhere is that more potent than in the symbolism of the monarchy being used to ground a fraught debate about national identity. With heated polemics about the British Empire thrown into the mix – with the centrality of the monarchy in its establishment and maintenance – ensuring that we celebrate the story of the monarch and their family verges almost on the existential. As subjects, the fanfare is designed so that we stay loyal or that we become invested in that story. More than we know about and are invested in our own stories. Perhaps even to the detriment of our own individual story.
Because what we ought to do at this very moment is flip the script. We should use this moment to focus on the people who made all of the power, glory, wealth and histories actually happen. Britain (just like any other nation or empire) wasn't and isn’t just about the kings and queens. Most people were from what we might call the working classes, from the colonies, from trade and from agriculture. They did what we might call “the work” – in the factories, on the ground, in the plantations and on the ships. (We see echoes of this today in those lauded for keeping us going during lockdowns doing the “real” work, but their stories get but a passing plaudit.) But we don't know much at all about these people and their lives because we don't spotlight them in the same way.
Indian troops with a Nazi flag in the rubble of Western Desert trenches, Libya, in May 1942. Up to 2.5 million Indians fought for Britain during the Second World War. Getty Images
And the saddest part is, for most of us, we are those people – whose ancestors, whatever our backgrounds, whether in the rural English countryside, in the factories or in the colonies, were involved in creating the nation, its strength, identity and wealth. Many of us hardly know our own stories, let alone establish the contributions that were made, the roles they played, and the acknowledgement of all that entails.
We must take this moment to focus on the people whose stories are just as important. Especially for children and young people for whom the monarchy is less and less relevant, but whose civic and political engagement is increasing.
When I was growing up, I didn’t really know anything about the way people on the ground built Britain and the British Empire. A big fat zero. But I wish I had, because the story of my life has been completely shaped by it. I started by asking my parents, grandmother, uncles, aunts, family friends … literally anyone who had a story to tell. Through snippets of information, photographs and research online, I managed to piece together my story. Because by knowing where you’ve come from, you can know truly who you are today.
When we know our own individual stories, we can share them, and that helps us to understand each other better, allowing us to compare notes about our different feelings and experiences of the past, and our ideas about it. Understanding your own story and the place you live are among the most important things you can ever do for yourself.
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors Power: 639hp Torque: 1,130Nm Transmission: Single-speed automatic Touring range: 591km Price: From Dh412,500 On sale: Deliveries start in October
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
Use your ‘black bag’ bin at home
Do not put them in a recycling bin
Take them home with you if there is no litter bin
No need to bag the mask
Episode list:
Ep1:A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery
Ep2:PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges
Ep3:The recovery and global trade disruptions - globalisation post-pandemic
Ep4:Inflation- services and goods - debt risks
Ep5:Travel and tourism
'Project Power'
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback
Director: Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman
Rating: 3.5/5
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
Europe's top EV producers
Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
Iceland (33%)
Netherlands (20%)
Sweden (19%)
Austria (14%)
Germany (14%)
Denmark (13%)
Switzerland (13%)
United Kingdom (12%)
Luxembourg (10%)
Source: VCOe
Look north
BBC business reporters, like a new raft of government officials, are being removed from the national and international hub of London and surely the quality of their work must suffer.
UAE squad
Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
IF YOU GO The flights: FlyDubai offers direct flights to Catania Airport from Dubai International Terminal 2 daily with return fares starting from Dh1,895. The details: Access to the 2,900-metre elevation point at Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 transport vehicle cost around €57.50 (Dh248) per adult. Entry into Teatro Greco costs €10 (Dh43). For more go to www.visitsicily.info
Where to stay:Hilton Giardini Naxos offers beachfront access and accessible to Taormina and Mount Etna. Rooms start from around €130 (Dh561) per night, including taxes.
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
Biog:
Age: 34
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite sport: anything extreme
Favourite person: Muhammad Ali
Results:
5pm: Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m | Winner: AF Tahoonah, Richard Mullen (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m | Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m | Winner: Duc De Faust, Szczepan Mazur, Younis Al Kalbani
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 2,200m | Winner: Shareef KB, Fabrice Veron, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,500m | Winner: Bainoona, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
Match info
Manchester United 4
(Pogba 5', 33', Rashford 45', Lukaku 72')
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
