No pony rides is good news

Readers welcome Marina Mall's decision to end pony rides on its premises. Other topics: germs, driving, ISIL, rainforest in Dubai

Readers commend Marina Mall for its decision to discontinue pony rides. Nicole Hill / The National

I'm glad that pony rides at Marina Mall are finally over (Pony rides at Marina Mall end after Facebook pressure, February 27). These animals used to be tied up right next to the bus stop, and the lights of the public buses always hit their eyes. Not to forget the noise from the buses all the time.

Syed Fasiuddin, Abu Dhabi

It’s good news. It was cruel to keep them there hour after hour in the sun. Step by step, we can make these changes.

Dave Pryce, Abu Dhabi

I am happy to know that the ponies are no longer being used to entertain shoppers at Marina Mall. We cannot be kind to animals until we stop exploiting them. This step is also important in the sense that it supports Abu Dhabi’s effort towards animal welfare. I thank the Marina Mall authorities for taking the right decision.

Abid Hussein, Abu Dhabi

Germs also help us to stay fit and healthy

A little dirt never harms anyone (Why creating a clean workplace is vital for our health, February 26). It's rather good for our immune system. If it was that harmful, people would be dying in hordes. As long as one practises basic hygiene, there is really no point in wiping down your keyboard or phone with wipes every time someone uses it, unless you are in the middle of a life-threatening epidemic. Even then, it is the luck of the draw.

Jayadevi Machaya Palekanda, Dubai

One of the most common bad practices at work is to eat while at a keyboard. Unfortunately, health and safety workers often overlook those keyboards. That allows bacteria to thrive. When they are passed from finger to mouth, they lead to illness and infection.

Bob Toms, Dubai

The phobia of germs doesn’t help anybody. It only decreases one’s immunity.

Sanchita Guha, India

Bad drivers don’t deserve mercy

In my opinion, penalties for bad driving and traffic offences are too low (580 drivers lose licences in Dubai, February 25). We needed to take tougher actions against them, because they are the ones who endanger the lives of others.

Mohammed Kaleem, Al Ain

Given the reckless behaviour of the majority of motorists, it has become important for the authorities to get tough on drivers to deter them from taking the rules for granted. Those who repeatedly fail to adhere to the traffic laws should have their licences revoked. That’s one of the best ways to make them adhere to traffic rules.

Fatima Suhail, Sharjah

A rainforest in Dubai?

I refer to the article Dubai to build Middle East's first rainforest, February 26). To maintain the irrigation for a venture like this will waste a lot of energy. It's a terrible idea.

John McWobble, Dubai

The first thing that springs to mind is how environmentally friendly could it be to pour millions of gallons of water and generate the power required to sustain this project in a region where there is a looming water crisis? There needs to be a balance between indulgence and necessity.

Robin Shake, Dubai

ISIL will not last long

With reference to Hassan Hassan's opinion article ISIL is a complex group – it's time we realised that (February 25), ISIL doesn't follow the Quran or Sunnah. They are criminals. It's against the Sunnah to burn people alive.

Every action of theirs contradicts Sharia. So ISIL doesn’t represent Islam or its followers in any way. Little do they know about jihad, which is why they don’t even follow the basics of jihad. They have no leadership, no training and no agenda.

They are waging a war against their own people while kidnapping and killing others indiscriminately. Hence, they will not survive.

Niaz Abdul Kader, Dubai