Deliveroo rider Hassan Ahmed Gariba said the roads are also clearer than usual. Pawan Singh / The National
Deliveroo rider Hassan Ahmed Gariba said the roads are also clearer than usual. Pawan Singh / The National
Deliveroo rider Hassan Ahmed Gariba said the roads are also clearer than usual. Pawan Singh / The National
Deliveroo rider Hassan Ahmed Gariba said the roads are also clearer than usual. Pawan Singh / The National

Fasting delivery riders praise generosity and kindness of Dubai public during Ramadan


Patrick Ryan
  • English
  • Arabic

Delivery riders have praised the compassion and generosity shown to them by Dubai residents during Ramadan.

As Eid Al Fitr approaches, The National spoke to riders in the emirate who have been fasting during the holy month, and they spoke of the kindness they have received from understanding members of the public.

As Ramadan started earlier in the spring, it also meant they are not having to fast in the searing summer heat — something welcomed by riders.

“Customers have been extremely kind and patient with us during Ramadan,” said Muhammad Danveer, 26, from Pakistan who delivers food for Talabat.

“At other times of the year, if we phone them up looking for directions they can demand that we hurry up.

“During Ramadan though, they are telling us to take our time and they are extremely patient.”

It was not uncommon for customers to tell the riders not to worry about the deliveries until they have broken their fasts, he added.

Muhammad Danveer said customers are kind and generous to delivery riders during Ramadan. Photo: Talabat
Muhammad Danveer said customers are kind and generous to delivery riders during Ramadan. Photo: Talabat

Iftar offerings

Showing patience is not the only way Dubai residents have been supportive to the riders fasting for Ramadan, according to Mr Danveer.

“The majority of people have been very generous this year and often give us food and water, especially if we’re delivering just before or post iftar time,” he said.

Ramadan falling earlier than in previous years has also come as a relief to riders having to deliver food while fasting.

“In previous years it was a lot hotter during Ramadan but now it’s much better,” said Hassan Ahmed Gariba, 24, from Ghana, who works for Deliveroo.

“The days can be very long when you are fasting, it’s even more so in the summer when you have the heat to contend with as well.

“Things feel like they are going a little quicker now that the weather is cooler, it makes it less stressful.”

Ramadan traffic, especially pre-iftar with motorists rushing home to break their fasts, can be notoriously tricky.

Toseef Ghaffar explained how delivery riders try to avoid the heat on Dubai's roads. Photo: Kitopi
Toseef Ghaffar explained how delivery riders try to avoid the heat on Dubai's roads. Photo: Kitopi

Road safety experts offered advice to motorists on how to stay safe during that period, earlier this month.

However, Mr Gariba believes the roads are clearer than usual as many people leave their office earlier in the day.

“There’s a lot less traffic on the roads at that time than if it was any other time of the year,” he said.

“Most people go home earlier in the afternoon for Ramadan, the traffic is much heavier around 4pm than later.

“There are also quite a few people who choose to stay in their office and get their iftar delivered to them there.”

It was not just customers offering support to the riders. Many restaurants also offer them food and vouchers, for when they want to break their fasts.

Mr Gariba's employer, Deliveroo sends a van around different locations each day to distribute iftar meals to riders.

Another rider explained some of the measures he and his colleagues take to ensure they do not suffer too much in the heat while making deliveries.

“It’s usually difficult to work while fasting in Dubai because it’s so hot,” said Toseef Ghaffar, 27, from Pakistan, who delivers food for Kitopi.

“This year, the weather is a bit normal compared to last year, so it is easier.

“We make sure we cover our face when riding the bike, wash our face with cold water and try to spend more time in cold places and rest in the Kitopi kitchens waiting areas.”

Delivery riders in the UAE - in pictures

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The biog

Name: Marie Byrne

Nationality: Irish

Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption

Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston

Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams

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
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The biog

Favourite pet: cats. She has two: Eva and Bito

Favourite city: Cape Town, South Africa

Hobby: Running. "I like to think I’m artsy but I’m not".

Favourite move: Romantic comedies, specifically Return to me. "I cry every time".

Favourite spot in Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat beach

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
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Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
DMZ facts
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  • Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
  • Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012. 
  • Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo 

 Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua

 Based: Dubai, UAE

 Number of employees: 28

 Sector: Financial services

 Investment: $9.5m

 Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. 

 

Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars

GCC-UK%20Growth
%3Cp%3EAn%20FTA%20with%20the%20GCC%20would%20be%20very%20significant%20for%20the%20UK.%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20My%20Department%20has%20forecast%20that%20it%20could%20generate%20an%20additional%20%C2%A31.6%20billion%20a%20year%20for%20our%20economy.%3Cbr%3EWith%20consumer%20demand%20across%20the%20GCC%20predicted%20to%20increase%20to%20%C2%A3800%20billion%20by%202035%20this%20deal%20could%20act%20as%20a%20launchpad%20from%20which%20our%20firms%20can%20boost%20their%20market%20share.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 

Sting & Shaggy

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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

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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.

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Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
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Stars: Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, David Wenham, Omari Hardwick   

Director: Minkie Spiro

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Like a Fading Shadow

Antonio Muñoz Molina

Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez

Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)

War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

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Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?

The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.

Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.

New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.

“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.

The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.

The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.

Bloomberg

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

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THE BIO

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Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

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Favorite movie: Braveheart

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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