Should bottled water be given free of charge?

Readers debate whether bottled water should be charged. Other topics: debt, Salik, insurance

Readers debate whether bottled water should be free of charge. Getty Images

I refer to the article Life lessons: Water is one of life's essentials, so why are we charged for it in the UAE? (April 7). In the United States, people often drink tap water. It doesn't require any filtering.

If you want bottled water in a restaurant in the US, you will have to pay for it.

Sandra Knuteson, Sharjah

I was recently in Stockholm where most cafes and restaurants offered water and coffee free of charge.

Louise Halmkan Slantenburg, Dubai

The worst offenders are the places that only offer fancy imported water for Dh20 per bottle. I don’t mind paying for reasonably priced bottled water.

Andrew Richards, Dubai

Tap water is not safe. It leaves the government facilities just fine, but there are issues with the storage of it. Whenever I have drunk tap water I have ended up ill.

Facilities have a right to charge for bottled water, but if the prices are too high then just don’t go there again; no one is forcing you.

Also, commercial rents and government charges here are through the roof. You want cheaper products, don’t talk to the restaurants; talk instead to the landlords and government departments.

I believe the majority of people here have no idea about the many and varied high charges that are levied on commercial establishments.

Dave Pryce, Dubai

A way to come out of debt

I refer to the debt-panel discussion, The Debt Panel: Dubai bank employee owes Dh235,000 and has been in debt since 2006, (March 28).

In this case, snowballing of accounts would be a better option for the person in question, but he should be prepared to deal with constant threats and the hounding calls of collectors.

As a bank employee, KK and his wife will not be eligible for a salary-transfer loan since they are not allowed to move their salary accounts from the bank they are employed at.

Banks do not give personal loans or consolidation loans to employees of other banks. Given the low amount of the individual credit cards, restructuring is also not a likely option.

As a first step, he should inform the banks of his financial difficulty and request that they stop his cards and not charge additional interest.

He ought to communicate this with the banks that he will not be paying and inform them of the exact date he will make his next instalment.

Name withheld by request

Salik system must ease traffic

The five Salik gates deduct the maximum toll irrespective of whether one passes through them within one hour or not.

If someone wants to go to Sharjah or Ajman from Abu Dhabi through Sheikh Zayed Road, he has to pass four Salik gates and has to pay Dh16. Despite paying the toll, commuters still get stuck in traffic jams. I think no money should be deducted from motorists if traffic flow cannot be eased.

As such, if someone can cross four Salik gates – between Jebel Ali and Sharjah – within an hour, he is supposed to pay a maximum of Dh8.

I hope the authorities concerned look into this issue.

MA Mannan, Abu Dhabi

Insurance sector needs attention

It may not be true that the cost of car insurance has surged by 40 per cent (UAE car insurance costs increase by up to 40%, March 15).

Just a month ago, I insured my car and I had to pay 60 per cent more over the previous year.

Marian Álvarez García, Abu Dhabi

A 40 per cent increase? That’s highway robbery.

How can this be allowed? How is this not being regulated?

Sara Smith, Abu Dhabi

With the cost of living going up by leaps and bounds, the UAE no longer seems viable for family life.

Hassan Jazairi, Dubai