I am writing about education allowances (Parents stretched as UAE firms cut education allowances, May 24). It is regrettable that private firms are looking at education as a business expense. Educating children is critical for the development of society. I fear that bright children will be pushed into certain schools based on their financial background.
Abdul Matheen Yousuf, Dubai
Education should be free all over the world. In the end, educated people develop countries for the better.
Yasmin Sayyed, Dubai
Our family income has decreased since 2009. School fees, insurance and flights are no longer offered by employers. In particular, school fees have increased. It is definitely more difficult to live here now compared to when we arrived.
Jane Carter, Abu Dhabi
As long as people are paying, school fees will keep rising.
Let's hope this will bring school fees down to a position that is affordable. I pay more for my granddaughter to go to primary school than my child’s university fees.
Wael Cambris, Abu Dhabi
Basic expenses are becoming far more outweighed than earnings, resulting in expatriates struggling to make ends meet.
Moreover, many people are forced to send their families home because of increasing financial burdens.
Name withheld by request
Rooting out illegal taxis
I agree with your editorial about illegal taxis (Learning lessons from illegal taxis, May 25). We must find a solution to the root problem. The roots of the problem is clear. There is not enough transport across the city. We need time-efficient transport that is also affordable. We shouldn't put driving schools in a distant location, so people learning to drive don't have to take an illegal taxi out there in the first place.
Claudia Gabriel, Sharjah
Oil benchmarks in the region
In reference to the article, Gulf producers must adjust to China's oil pricing power (May 21), your readers deserve to understand the role of S& P Global Platts and the evolution of the Dubai and Oman benchmarks.
Platts is a price reporting agency whose role is to publish prices that reflect the value of physical commodities and that adheres to its fully transparent and robust methodology.
We are independent and do not seek to determine who buys or sells in the physical markets or to regulate those markets.
Platts’ methodology involves the publishing of real transactions and firm bids and offers by named parties as they happen throughout the day. It is a highly transparent process and essential for creating clarity in otherwise opaque commodity markets.
The Middle East benchmarks we publish reflect the value of medium, sour crudes in the Middle East spot markets. We conducted an extensive consultation with market participants to ensure our benchmarks evolve and continue to reflect the true value of the market. With the January 2016 additions of Al Shaheen and Murban together with the planned introduction of a quality premium for Murban in July, we have ensured there is now three times more crude oil deliverable into Dubai and Oman benchmarks than the Brent benchmark.
While Platts is working to maintain transparent and liquid benchmarks, it is important to realise that crude oil trade flows have fundamentally changed.
China is now the world’s largest importer of waterborne crude oil while India’s appetite for importing crude is fast increasing, albeit from a lower level. With this increasing need for crude, comes a legitimate willingness to participate in the price formation process – this is a healthy development for the global crude oil market.
Dave Ernsberger, S&P Global Platts, UK
Protecting kids from the heat
Regarding your report on children in cars (Children should not be left in vehicles, UAE experts say, May 25), it is heartbreaking that many children have died due to suffocation and intense heat after being forgotten behind or locked in the car.
Given the rising temperatures, even an adult could lose his life if left behind and locked inside a vehicle. People, especially parents and bus supervisors, must be vigilant with regards to the charges. After all, children are not commodities or bags to be left behind.
Fatima Suhail, Sharjah