A better ride to work

Planned expansion of Abu Dhabi's bus system is welcome but more is needed, one reader argues, such as offering more routes to Musaffah and renovating the capital's bus terminal. Other letter topics today: praise for an Indian expatriate, service fee fiasco and talking to Tehran.

The expansion of bus services is welcome, but more could be done, a reader says. Fatima Al Marzouqi / The National

News that the capital will be expanding its bus services in Abu Dhabi is welcome (30 more buses, six new routes, December 21) but I hope transportation planners apply even more fixes to the system.

For instance, bus riders going to Musaffah from Dubai must first come into Abu Dhabi. That takes two hours. They then must take bus No 100 to reach Musaffah, which takes 20 to 30 minutes. Better would be a direct bus from Shahama to Mohammed Bin Zayed City, or even direct buses from Dubai.

I also have a few more suggestions for improving the Abu Dhabi bus station. It is such a huge place but it has a very small prayer room, and only one cafeteria serving tea.

I am sure with a little effort it could be properly overhauled. People might be more inclined to take the bus if the arrival and departure halls were more welcoming.

Nazia Mahmood, Dubai

Difficult days for residents' rights

The news article Dh800,000 or your aircon stays off, flat owners told (December 22) is troubling for many reasons.

What this move suggests is that it is dangerous to invest in immovable properties in Dubai, when the laws are just evolving and the situation is monopolistic and there is a tendency to exploit.

People who buy homes anywhere are following the dream of ownership. But all too often it seems that owners here get nightmares instead. Is ownership worth it? It's a fair question given that the laws at present would certainly make most people think twice about buying property.

KB Vijayakumar, Dubai

Blatant pro-Israel bias in UK laws

The UK's so-called terror law has more to do with fear then sound reasoning (Terror suspect held at UK airport arriving from Dubai receives bail, December 22).

The fact is, anyone can be charged as a terrorist for criticising the status quo.

But this has more to do with growing influence of the Zionist lobby than sound police work. Anyone speaking for Palestinian causes is often labelled as a terrorist sympathiser.

A few years ago, Dr Zakir Naik, a Muslim speaker specialising in the comparative study of faith, was denied access to the UK on false pretences. It seems one is only free to criticise Muslim sensibilities but not to defend them.

The western current take of liberal hypocrisy at home and abroad knows no bounds.

Name withheld by request

Why talking to Iran is a waste of time

On Iran, I hope the GCC does not make the same mistake that the West made when dealing with Hitler before the Second World War. Instead of acting decisively against they first sought to appease him with soft words. The Nazis of course thought of them as fools, as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran must now be thinking

Faris Khan, Dubai

Praise for Indian expatriate saviour

I write in reference to the story about one Indian expatriate and her work protecting foreign workers (Guardian of the sick and mourning, December 22).

Thanks to Umarani Padmana-bhan for being there.

Sajeed Ahmed, Dubai

Umarani Padmanabhan is clearly the mother of all guardians for the sick and mourning here.

Prasad Venkataraman, Sharjah

A sustainable model for growth

As with much of the UAE's investment in malls, universities, road systems, residential areas, hotels and resorts, sports facilities and infrastructure, not enough economic consideration is made. Too much investment is on whim.

Sadly, unscrupulous western conglomerates have brilliantly played on the idea that any growth is good growth. This is simply not true.

Construction undertaken without thought for the future, or for maintenance or financial viability, is not sustainable. Changing that culture to integrate the realities of 2011 economics will take time.

But having worked with young Emirati students in the UAE for years I am optimistic that such a balance can be achieved.

Tom Pattillo, Abu Dhabi

New adoption rules welcome

In regards to the article Ministry agrees not to impose age cap on adoptive parents (December 21), this is welcome news for prospective parents and children in need.

Coen Thornton, Abu Dhabi