Letter comments on the number of road fatalties in the UAE

Readers also discuss food poisoning case, concubines and Saab's new model range.

A reader points out that the UAE has suffered nearly 10,000 traffic fatalities in the past decade, half because of speeding. He recommends tougher enforcement of the black points system. Courtesy DubaShow more

I refer to the news article Restaurant cleared of D'Souza deaths (June 1). Having worked in the food industry many years ago and being something of a gourmet, I am shocked with the ruling of the Court of Appeal exonerating the Chinese restaurant in the food poisoning of the two D'Souza children. Anyone who has read Anthony Bourdain or any other kitchen tell-all would know a restaurant will push the envelope on what is safe. They all do from the lowliest street-corner shawarma place to the snootiest five-star hotel restaurant. It's just not cost effective otherwise.

If the owner demands food be used when it shouldn't be, what is a supervisor or chef to do in this country but do as the owner wishes? They risk losing their jobs and the precious remittances they send home. According to the story, two courts that sat in judgement of the chef and the supervisor found they had stored food improperly. Perhaps that is so.

And perhaps the restaurant owner wasn't requiring his employees to use old food. But an owner who cares about his name and his restaurant's reputation would be inspecting his walk-in fridge, his storage bins, his pots and pans, his dishes and utensils. Even that simple act might have prevented those deaths. The buck stops with the owner, who should stand up and take responsibility.

Marcel Petit, Abu Dhabi

Controversy over sex slaves

I refer to the article Kuwaiti woman makes case for concubines (June 6). Buy female war victims from Chechnya and use them as sex slaves in Kuwait? What a horrible and a disgusting thing for an elected leader to say, herself being a lady.

If Islam permitted sleeping rights for men with captured and purchased war prisoners, that was because it was almost 1,400 years ago when slavery was a prevalent practice. In fact, Islam dealt with the subject and showed how it was a great act of virtue to free a slave or marry a slave woman if one did not have the means to marry a respectable woman.

Slavery was abolished long ago. Why on earth would anybody in their right minds want to bring back that abhorred practice?

F Baasleim, Dubai

From all the events happening in the Arab world right now, wasn't there anything else more important to report about? I assure you that the majority if not all the women who read this were offended. It is disrespectful to me not just as a woman, but as a human being as well. Did the article aim at raising controversy? Well it did, by insulting women. It's not a surprise that there wasn't a name associated to it.

Hind al Yousef, Abu Dhabi

Passionate opinions on Saab

In reference to David Booth's opinion piece It's time to turn off Saab's life support (June 2), Saab suffered for years because GM kept them from introducing new models. It seems strange to cut off life support now that Saab finally has a whole new model range.

As for technology, Saab currently has one of the best all-wheel drive systems on the market today. XWD works wonderfully in adverse conditions.

It is also worth pointing out that Saab had quite a lead in the 1990s. In January I rented a Volvo V50 and drove it for 1,000 kilometres. It was useless on the snow. My Saab 9000 easily dug itself through stuff where the 10-year-younger V50 was simply stuck. The difference was night and day.

In the winter I see many Mercedes-Benzs struggle to maintain 60kph where I can easily drive my older Saab at twice their speed.

JJ, Abu Dhabi

I was at the local Saab dealer which is also a Cadillac dealer and they had three 2010 unsold Saab 9-5 models which has were discounted to $15,000 and still had no buyers. A shame the new 9-5 is a nice product. Personally I like it better than the competition but few seem to agree.

Most think the Audi A6 and BMW 5 series are better and cost less. I think it is wrong to lay the blame for all of Saab's troubles at GM's door. The company was in trouble before GM bought it. GM probably saved it from ending up like Sabena airlines.

Saab today is like the Packard automobiles of the 1950s. A good product but the competition is better.

Unless the Swedish government or its old parent company Saab Group takes it back, I do not see the Saab automobile lasting past the 2012 model year.

James J Varela, US

Suggestion to lower fatalities

I refer to Accidents down for a second year (June 6). There is an urgent need for further action. Nearly 10,000 people were killed in road accidents in the last 10 years in the UAE, nearly 5,000 due to speeding.

The authorities should enforce black points rules for speeding to improve road safety.

Kailash Tiwari, Dubai

In reference to David Booth's opinion piece It's time to turn off Saab's life support (June 2), Saab suffered for years because GM kept them from introducing new models. It seems strange to cut off life support now that Saab finally has a whole new model range.

As for technology, Saab currently