In reference to 'Abused' maid faces a lifetime ban from working in the UAE (January 12), why were the police, when approached for help by the domestic worker, unable to register a harassment complaint against her abusive sponsors? We read stories of abused runaway maids reaching shelters every other day.
In comparison, how many stories of abusers convicted for such a crime do we get to read?
If the police, the courts and the laws cannot help stop this abuse, what little can the helpless maids do but abscond?
The UAE has come up with a gem of an idea called the Wage Protection System that has tremendously improved the plight of construction workers. Great work indeed.
Now we wait for another similar protection system for domestic workers to help the plight of the hundreds of abused maids who have no other option but to run away every year - and for tougher laws against the abusers.
F Baasleim, Dubai
Make buses safe for children
The news article School-bus camera law is closer to realisation (January 18) reported on measures taken following the alleged rape by three men of a four-year-old girl on a school bus. Are our yellow buses safe? No, they are not.
Having fancy closed circuit television cameras, a stop sign board and a distinctive yellow colour does not make a school bus safe as claimed by one member of the school bus company.
Their GPS gadget proved useless. So did the claim to having their staff fully scrutinised and "well-documented".
How about taking care of the basics first? Like how can you have a bus with just one child and three men on board? Despite working with a school, the company failed to educate itself in human psychology. Having a woman as a bus helper shouldn't just be "considered", it should be implemented right away.
Secondly, bus conductors and drivers should be from different companies. As they say, birds of a feather flock together. The possibility of such a heinous crime being cooked up is more likely amongst peers than with someone whom you hardly know or have any affiliation with.
Last, employing someone whom you know personally (to a certain extent) or at least know through a reliable source is better than blindly picking up any Tom, Dick and Harry off the street with fake documents. This is definitely not an easy task but it is a child's safety at stake.
Name Withheld by Request
A six-month sentence for rape
In reference to the news article Military officer gets six months for rape (January 19), prison sentences for rape are not uniform. A study made by the US Department of Justice of prison releases in 1992, involving about 80 per cent of the prison population, found that the average sentence for convicted rapists was 11.8 years, while the actual time served was 5.4 years.
This follows the typical pattern for violent crimes in the US, where those convicted typically serve no more than half of their sentence.
Six months comes nowhere close to an appealed life sentence. I'm sure the convicted party will be let off the hook in a small fraction of the time.
Sana Sarfraz, Dubai
Generous in cancer treatment
The UAE is generous and has contributed to the welfare of many nations. It is in that spirit that the UAE has contributed $150m (Dh 110m) to the University of Texas for cancer research, as reported yesterday in The National. The research that this investment will provide will assist millions.
I also admire the role being played by cancer hospitals like Tawam in Al Ain, which caters to the whole of the UAE community, including expats. I hope that this generosity will continue
Name Withheld by Request
Service projects are best for youth
I refer to the article Reach out to youth before problems arise (December 26). Really? Organising lectures and classes is going to change something? Why not get them involved in service projects or foreign trips to developing nations where they can help out?
AA, Abu Dhabi
A lot of water in a simple beefsteak
I refer to For water's wonders to be enjoyed, they must be conserved (January 3). Think twice before eating a beefsteak, as each kilo requires 15,000 litres of water.
Cyril Jarno, Abu Dhabi
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize
This year’s winners of the US$4 million Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize will be recognised and rewarded in Abu Dhabi on January 15 as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week, which runs in the capital from January 13 to 20.
From solutions to life-changing technologies, the aim is to discover innovative breakthroughs to create a new and sustainable energy future.
World Cup League Two
Results
Oman beat Nepal by 18 runs
Oman beat United States by six wickets
Nepal beat United States by 35 runs
Oman beat Nepal by eight wickets
Fixtures
Tuesday, Oman v United States
Wednesday, Nepal v United States
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
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