It's embarrasing how often we misunderstand what we're being told.
We've done it again over the ban on pork.
I said on Wednesday that the General Secretariat of Municipalities in Abu Dhabi had banned the import and sale of pork.
Wrong of course, I completely misunderstood. You can see why from the information I based the post on:
April 29.
"General Secretariat of Municipalities [GSM] issued a circular on Monday banning import and sale of all types of pork in the country, Mohammad Jalal Al Reyaysa, Manager of Communication and Information Department at Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) said. The ban covers cooking the pork in hotels [for non Muslims], he added. GSM had already banned import of pork from Mexico and the US on Sunday, but extended it to a blanket ban, considering the alarming situation,.
"Only two outlets in Abu Dhabi have the license to sell pork (for non-Muslims) and our inspectors have already informed them to remove the pork from the shelves."
You may also have taken that to suggest there was a ban.
But there isn't:
May 1.
The UAE has not banned pork imports, a senior official said.
"There is no decision to ban pork meat products," said Majid Al Mansouri, secretary-general of the Environment Agency and member of a higher committee responsible for combating the flu.
We misunderstood again.
Original report.
'Clarification'.
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11 comments:
I am glad the UAE Ministry of Clarifications has corrected us on this point...
The first statement was surely not made by the 'offical spokeperson" and hence is not valid
http://www.uaeinteract.com/docs/Cabinet_approves_Governmental_Communications_Office_/32725.htm
Hence there is no case for clarifications.
Anon@3:28 - I think you have missed the point completely...
Dave: that was only tongue in cheek.... :-)
Now I get it... thanks.
We are so dumb.
Classic... Same thing happens all the time at work (for a public educational institution in Dubai), so I'm used to it. As a teacher, it really does tend to make me look stupid in front of my students though... But then again, they're probably used to it too.
Who knew it takes a LOT of intelligence to be able to live in Dubai and understand the news and announcements correctly! *sigh*
I was starting to think the desert heat has fried my brains.
NOT!!
Oh Dubai, does it take too much effort to give a correct version on the first report?
as usual, some guy setting behind his desk very bored reading about the spread of the flu... so he simply decides that the solution to the problem is to ban pork!!!
he obviously doesn't know that this flu doesn't get transmitted by consuming pork!!!
as a result.. and due to a stupid decision made by someone who knows nothing... here comes the clarification that sound like we have misunderstood the initial news.
good one Seabee :)
We are who are so stupid, salute you...
But I'm still having an enormo-breakfast on Friday thanks to my major 'panic buying' haul last week.
And I am glad!
It wouldn't be Dubai if someone didn't try to make a quick buck out of this confusion. Spinneys Umm Suqueim immediately hiked up the kilo price of most (remaining) pork products. I panicked and bought anyway. The day later I discovered that Choitram's at Safa park hadn't increased the prices. I'll be feasting on overpriced pork for the next month.
Serves me right I guess.
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