DUBAI // Motorists and pedestrians have called for long jail terms and more awareness campaigns after the drink driver who killed a British tourist received a two months’ sentence.
“If someone causes the death of a pedestrian in a car accident and they have been drinking then the sentence should be tough,” said Abdul Kareem, 42, a management consultant from Lahore, Pakistan.
“That way it would act as a deterrent and make people think twice before they do that.”
Francesca D’Souza, a 32-year-old retail assistant from Lisbon, Portugal, called for a wider awareness campaign about the dangers of drink driving.
“It’s easy to blame the short sentence but I think people in Dubai aren’t willing to take responsibility for their actions,” she said.
“There have been so many occasions when I’ve been driving and I’ve seen other motorists either on the phone or not concentrating on the road.
“The police can’t be everywhere, so I think people in general need to take more care about how they drive.”
Accountant Beth Simpson, 29, from Dorset, England, said more should be done to deter drink driving.
“It’s not simply a case of increasing the sentences and then the problem will go away,” she said.
“Drink driving needs to be made a taboo in this country, otherwise people will continue to do it.
“In the UK, we always have big campaigns warning people about the dangers of drink driving, especially during Christmas.
“That’s been going on for many years and most people now realise that they shouldn’t do that.
“I just don’t think people here realise how dangerous drink-driving can be.”
Others felt judges were in a no-win situation.
David Costa, 45, a HR official from the United States, said: “The problem is what would be a sufficient sentence for a case like this?
“I can’t be sure but I don’t think many countries have very tough sentences for these kinds of cases.
“There are so many people from different countries that live here that many bring their driving habits with them as well.
“What is acceptable driving practice in India would not be in Switzerland or the US.
“That, coupled with the fact that the population is so transient that it would make it difficult to have a consistent campaign, and I think the police and legal authorities have a difficult task.”
Marketing professional Jason Downs, 26, from Burnley, England, said he thinks drink drivers who kill people should be sentenced to at least five years.
“That way less people would be tempted to do something similar in future,” he said.
“Short sentences aren’t enough of a deterrent for people and I think the authorities should take a tough line.
“I think the reason we see so many of these kinds of incidents is because people think they can get away with this kind of behaviour.”
Ron Anderson, 60, a South African biker, said: “Accidents do happen but when alcohol and reckless driving are involved, it doesn’t send a strong message to drivers to dissuade them from drinking.
“They should be held accountable for their actions, with tough sentences.”
nhanif@thenational.ae
* Additional reporting from Preeti Kannan
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.
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.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Bib%20Gourmand%20restaurants
%3Cp%3EAl%20Khayma%0D%3Cbr%3EBait%20Maryam%0D%3Cbr%3EBrasserie%20Boulud%0D%3Cbr%3EFi'lia%0D%3Cbr%3Efolly%0D%3Cbr%3EGoldfish%0D%3Cbr%3EIbn%20AlBahr%0D%3Cbr%3EIndya%20by%20Vineet%0D%3Cbr%3EKinoya%0D%3Cbr%3ENinive%0D%3Cbr%3EOrfali%20Bros%0D%3Cbr%3EReif%20Japanese%20Kushiyaki%0D%3Cbr%3EShabestan%0D%3Cbr%3ETeible%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Points about the fast fashion industry Celine Hajjar wants everyone to know
- Fast fashion is responsible for up to 10 per cent of global carbon emissions
- Fast fashion is responsible for 24 per cent of the world's insecticides
- Synthetic fibres that make up the average garment can take hundreds of years to biodegrade
- Fast fashion labour workers make 80 per cent less than the required salary to live
- 27 million fast fashion workers worldwide suffer from work-related illnesses and diseases
- Hundreds of thousands of fast fashion labourers work without rights or protection and 80 per cent of them are women
Stamp duty timeline
December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
