As an Emirati woman married to a British man, I read with interest your story, FNC members encourage Emiratis to marry locals (December 16).
Nobody can tell me who to marry. I agree that Emiratis and Gulf men in general divorce very easily, without even trying to save the marriage. The law makes it easy for them to do so.
Thanks to the decree of 2011, I don’t lose any of my benefits or rights by marrying a foreigner.
We met in Abu Dhabi through a colleague and now we have a son.
Elham Al-Marzouqi McMillan, Dubai
As a foreigner, I have accepted and incorporated a lot of Emirati traditions and customs into my daily life in areas like language, food and religious holidays.
I can also see how Emirati life has been made richer by what foreigners have brought into it. So long as people have the right basic values, I don’t believe there will be any danger of Emirati culture disappearing.
Ksenia Giorno, Dubai
Preserving Emirati and Islamic culture in children is a serious issue, as is ensuring that the Arabic language is used.
This country is unrecognisable in comparison to 35 years ago. Indeed, modernity and progress come at a high price.
Abu Waleed Al Maghribi, Sharjah
Good nutrition should be taught
Your story, Some UAE children have cholesterol levels found in 60-year-old men, doctors say (December 17), proves that health awareness should be part of the school curriculum.
It should start from the first year in school, right through to Grade 12. This is essential.
Dina Abou-Zahr, Lebanon
Parents and nannies have to go for fresh food, much more of which is now available here and grown in the UAE.
This includes fresh bread, cheese, vegetables, yogurt, fruit, pastas (made fresh with healthy ingredients such as garlic and broccoli) and rice.
Mezze is mostly very good too, with fresh products such as tabbouli and hummus.
Buying these products also supports the local economy.
Brigitte von Bulow, Abu Dhabi
I believe parents have to take some responsibility for this.
It is always easier to let the children eat whatever they like instead of trying to get them to eat something healthy.
James Fildes, Dubai
I was surprised by how many American food chains and fast food restaurants there are here.
There need to be more smoothie and frozen yogurt franchises available so that people have more healthy options from which to choose.
Hilary Davis, US
Abuse training is a good first step
Your news article, Child abuse training for school personnel (December 17), suggests that after 15 hours of training, anyone caring for children will be able to notice and act on neglect and abuse.
This training is a step in the right direction but it is not enough.
Fiona Cooke, Dubai
I am sure that this training, when combined with their daily experience of dealing with children, will amount to some lives being saved.
There is only so much you can be taught. The rest relies on experience and instinct.
Ameerah Heerden, Abu Dhabi
Running late is bad manners
Rym Ghazal makes an excellent point in her column, 'On the way' and other lies of our time-stressed age (December 17).
I hate lateness. Anyone who habitually runs late should just leave earlier.
It seems pretty simple to me.
Samantha Attfield, Abu Dhabi
If you’ve already missed several appointments by being late then try to make another appointment, you should be removed from the client list and told to find another doctor, dentist, hairdresser, beauty salon etc.
It may sound tough, but this is how it works in the UK.
Daniel Rose, Abu Dhabi
Being late is simply rude and ignorant.
Brett Pearson, Abu Dhabi
Pakistan attack was merciless
As a Pakistani, your story, Pakistan community in UAE tell of shock at school attack in Peshawar (December 16), marks a sad day for my country.
Whatever these terrorists have done cannot be associated with Islam or justified by it.
A massacre like this has nothing to do with Islam.
Hira Malik, Abu Dhabi
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Villains
Queens of the Stone Age
Matador
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Pakistan squad
Sarfraz (c), Zaman, Imam, Masood, Azam, Malik, Asif, Sohail, Shadab, Nawaz, Ashraf, Hasan, Amir, Junaid, Shinwari and Afridi
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MATCH INFO
Manchester City 1 (Gundogan 56')
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Solomon 69')
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
Founder: Ayman Badawi
Date started: Test product September 2016, paid launch January 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software
Size: Seven employees
Funding: $170,000 in angel investment
Funders: friends
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Meydan racecard:
6.30pm: Handicap | US$135,000 (Dirt) | 1,400 metres
7.05pm: Handicap | $135,000 (Turf) | 1,200m
7.40pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (T) | 2,000m
8.15pm: UAE Oaks | Group 3 | $250,000 (D) | 1,900m
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile | Group 2 | $250,000 (T) | 1,600m
9.20pm: Handicap | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m