I was going to post about this earlier in the week but decided to wait for more information and for the muddy waters to clear. It's still all very murky but we know a bit more now.
Sadly it's another in a long line of victim jailed cases such as I posted about a few days ago.
Back in Australia there was a hearing in Brisbane Supreme Court on Friday of last week when lawyers acting for a young Queensland woman, Alicia Gali, were given leave to sue Fujeirah's Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort for breaching its workplace obligations and failing to have systems in place to protect their workers against assault.
That opened a can of worms.
On Monday it was in the news, with headlines like:
Drugged, raped, then jailed for 'adultery'
and
Queensland woman tells of her jail hell in United Arab Emirates
The details are murky but it goes back to 2008, when Alicia reported to police that she had been raped by three co-workers at the hotel after they spiked her drink in the hotel staff bar.
It seems the three men were not charged with rape but they and Alicia were found guilty of illicit sex, and presumably consuming alcohol.
Alicia got a year in Al Slammer and served eight months before being pardoned.
She claimed she had no assistance from her employer or the embassy, which the hotel immediately denied. They issued a statement that they had helped 'including assisting with medical support, arranging for financial support, assistance with the investigation, liaising with her representative embassy and arranging for her family to come to the UAE from Australia'.
The following day her lawyers refuted those claims.
I told you it was all very murky. It'll get worse as the case progresses too with the international spotlight firmly on the laws here and the way they're administered. Let's hope it brings about some changes.
BTW, if you read the stories I've linked to below you'll see they contain warnings against travelling to the UAE. The only news outlet here I've seen the story in is Arabian Business, who simultaneously reported a UK survey in which Dubai came fifth in a survey which asked travellers which destinations they felt most at risk in.
That's strange about a country that's one of the world's safest, but it's not safety in relation to muggings or violence against them they're concerned about. It has to be the regular reports of people being jailed for consuing alcohol, for verbal insults, for giving the finger and of victims being jailed that cause the concern.
Here's the first story and also
here.
Hotel defends itself.
Not true say lawyers.
Dubai not safe survey.
Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts
Friday, April 01, 2011
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Here we go again!
I've complained more than a few times in posts here about unbalanced over-the-top media stories about Dubai, both pro and anti.
A few years ago it was all 'The Miracle of Dubai' stuff. That was from journos flown in for a couple of days, put up in 5-star hotels, whisked around from one 5-star facility to another.
They returned the favour by hyperventilating about the place, with way over-the-top and often ludicrous articles.
It inevitably attracted an equally unbalanced reaction, the 'Dark Side of Dubai' stories, all about slave labour, chain gangs, fleeing expats and the city being reclaimed by the desert.
Now we've gone full circle with a new story in the UK Daily Telegraph from the 'Miracle of Dubai' folder.
Here's a sample:
What to do this morning? Hmmm. Let's head for the slopes and a black ski run and some tobogganing. Always an exciting, bracing way to start the day.
This afternoon? Shopping at the world's finest stores or a spot of sun-bathing and a swim with dolphins? Spoilt for choice.
Later on, some quad-bike racing and a 4x4 safari through scorching sand dunes stretching into the mists of time. Sounds good.
And what better way to end the perfect day than a candle-lit river cruise with as much wine as you can drink to compliment a gastronomic five-course feast after flying a sea-plane past the world's tallest building.
Unless, of course, you fancy a romantic, balmy, moonlit early hours walk along your private beachfront, dipping your toes in the Gulf of Arabia.
And there's the clue. Because where else in the world could you be but... Dubai.
And if you should ever see the slogan: "See Dubai Before You Die"...
Groan...
Stand by for the reaction pieces.
Read it and cringe.
A few years ago it was all 'The Miracle of Dubai' stuff. That was from journos flown in for a couple of days, put up in 5-star hotels, whisked around from one 5-star facility to another.
They returned the favour by hyperventilating about the place, with way over-the-top and often ludicrous articles.
It inevitably attracted an equally unbalanced reaction, the 'Dark Side of Dubai' stories, all about slave labour, chain gangs, fleeing expats and the city being reclaimed by the desert.
Now we've gone full circle with a new story in the UK Daily Telegraph from the 'Miracle of Dubai' folder.
Here's a sample:
What to do this morning? Hmmm. Let's head for the slopes and a black ski run and some tobogganing. Always an exciting, bracing way to start the day.
This afternoon? Shopping at the world's finest stores or a spot of sun-bathing and a swim with dolphins? Spoilt for choice.
Later on, some quad-bike racing and a 4x4 safari through scorching sand dunes stretching into the mists of time. Sounds good.
And what better way to end the perfect day than a candle-lit river cruise with as much wine as you can drink to compliment a gastronomic five-course feast after flying a sea-plane past the world's tallest building.
Unless, of course, you fancy a romantic, balmy, moonlit early hours walk along your private beachfront, dipping your toes in the Gulf of Arabia.
And there's the clue. Because where else in the world could you be but... Dubai.
And if you should ever see the slogan: "See Dubai Before You Die"...
Groan...
Stand by for the reaction pieces.
Read it and cringe.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tourists and medication
Dubai's authorities have scored many own goals over the past five or six years, actions which have helped to create the climate for what's been called 'Dubai bashing'.
Some of it has been nothing more than Dubai bashing. Often, exposure of serious shortcomings has been mixed up with untrue and hugely exaggerated stories and rumours. Some have simply been absolute rubbish, presenting rumours and dinner party gossip as facts.
But some have been true and fully justified, many of them caused by inexplicable laws or the way the laws have been administered.
One in that category has been the detention of people for carrying medication prescribed by their doctor.
There haven't been reports of this happening for a while, perhaps explained by a piece in Gulf News:
"Passengers who fail to present prescriptions for certain listed medications will not be detained at Dubai International Airport, Dubai Police said.
Dubai Police Deputy Chief Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina said: "There are no detention cells for passengers carrying listed medications by the Health Ministry without prescriptions.
"We keep the medications with us until the person presents a prescription from the doctor who prescribed it."
I assume that, realising the damage to Dubai's reputation that was being done by over-zealous interpretation, someone on high has had words with the officials involved.
It's a move in the right direction but it needs to go further of course.
Dubai aggressively promotes tourism in many countries, as does Emirates Airline, but there's no information to help potential visitors stay within the laws.
So many of us have said it so many times - information needs to be given to travellers before they begin their journey.
It's not hard to give a list of banned medication, such as codeine. And to list medication which requires a prescription from the prescribing doctor, to advise travellers to keep all medication in its original packaging.
Simple, and it would avoid all the problems.
From the police statement it seems any listed medications are confiscated, which is far from good for the patient who relies on it.
And if they're only here for a few days, I wonder whether they're allowed to leave the country before the original prescription arrives.
The Gulf News report is here.
Some of it has been nothing more than Dubai bashing. Often, exposure of serious shortcomings has been mixed up with untrue and hugely exaggerated stories and rumours. Some have simply been absolute rubbish, presenting rumours and dinner party gossip as facts.
But some have been true and fully justified, many of them caused by inexplicable laws or the way the laws have been administered.
One in that category has been the detention of people for carrying medication prescribed by their doctor.
There haven't been reports of this happening for a while, perhaps explained by a piece in Gulf News:
"Passengers who fail to present prescriptions for certain listed medications will not be detained at Dubai International Airport, Dubai Police said.
Dubai Police Deputy Chief Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina said: "There are no detention cells for passengers carrying listed medications by the Health Ministry without prescriptions.
"We keep the medications with us until the person presents a prescription from the doctor who prescribed it."
I assume that, realising the damage to Dubai's reputation that was being done by over-zealous interpretation, someone on high has had words with the officials involved.
It's a move in the right direction but it needs to go further of course.
Dubai aggressively promotes tourism in many countries, as does Emirates Airline, but there's no information to help potential visitors stay within the laws.
So many of us have said it so many times - information needs to be given to travellers before they begin their journey.
It's not hard to give a list of banned medication, such as codeine. And to list medication which requires a prescription from the prescribing doctor, to advise travellers to keep all medication in its original packaging.
Simple, and it would avoid all the problems.
From the police statement it seems any listed medications are confiscated, which is far from good for the patient who relies on it.
And if they're only here for a few days, I wonder whether they're allowed to leave the country before the original prescription arrives.
The Gulf News report is here.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
What are the standards?
One more post on the general subject of the way the indecency laws can be abused. And on what visitors can learn about the standards expected of them.
First, a post on the forum of ExpatWoman (thanks to Trailing Spouse for sending it to me).
It says:
"today my 2 sons and my middle sons girlfriend went to MOE for the UFC signing at Virgin. After they went to the food court for pizza. My middle son went to fetch the order and as he sat down the security guard stormed over and agressively confronted him about kissing his girlfriend. He produced a leaflet and waved it in his face all the while shouting "not allowed, not allowed". Of course he had done no such thing with many witnesses to back him up. When they asked the security guard who had accused them he said " a lady over there".!!!!! Of course my son was very angry, but luckily he didnt swear!! Needless to say many other expats were around and were completely gobsmacked by the whole thing, The security guard was very agressive in his manner, but luckily another gaurd came over to defuse the situation, and he was also approached by another European to back my sons story. What a bad taste its left in our mouths. 17 years we have lived here, we know the law of the land!! What makes me so very cross is that a person can accuse you of something that you havent done, just because they can. What is this place coming to?"
It's another confirmation of what I've been ranting about for some time -any malicious person, someone in bad mood, someone in a temper, a rival, can have you arrested by simply claiming you committed an offence.
It happens, as several high-profile cases have confirmed.
And my bet is that we're going to see much more of it. Copycat stuff. People who're reading the recent high-profile cases deciding they'll do it too. As the poster said, simply because they can.
Then the second point, what tourists can learn about how they must behave.
Yesterday the Dubai Today programme on Dubai Eye radio had an extended segment on the British kissing couple case and its ramifications.
One thing that came up, as it has whenever the laws are discussed, is that visitors need to inform themselves about the way they must behave in countries they're visiting.
Very true, but visitors to Dubai get conflicting and confusing information all at the same time.
I did a quick bit of research on it, as someone coming here might.
I looked at it from a Brit's point of view, because they seem to be the ones falling foul of the law more than others.
The UK Foreign Office website says that proportionally, Britons are most likely to be arrested in the UAE than any other country in the world.
So what do they learn about Dubai before they come here?
From their media they get conflicting messages.
They see stories like these running at the same time:
"Kissing Dubai Brits to be jailed
TWO Britons convicted of kissing in public had their one-month prison sentence upheld by a Dubai court today."
"Danielle Lloyd shows off six-month bump as she embraces Jamie O'Hara on Dubai beach break
With just three months to go until the arrival of her first child, Danielle Lloyd's happiness is obvious. The glamour model wrapped her arms around her fiancé Jamie O'Hara as they embraced while preparing a barbecue in Dubai."
That's clear then.
Kissing is banned/is allowed. Unmarried couples are banned/allowed.
So they check the official Dubai Dept of Tourism & Commerce Marketing site.
Under 'Tips for Tourists' they find a caution - but only about prohibited medicines.
I couldn't find anything about unmarried couples or what is deemed indecent behaviour. I looked under 'Clothing' and found:
"Compared with certain parts of the Middle East, Dubai has a very relaxed dress code. However, care should be taken not to give offence by wearing clothing which may be considered revealing. At the pool or on the beaches, trunks, swim-suits and bikinis are quite acceptable."
Hmmm...
What about alcohol?
"Alcohol is available in hotel and club restaurants and bars. However, restaurants outside the hotels are not permitted to serve alcoholic beverages.
Nothing there to say that people have been charged with 'consuming alcohol'.
So I moved to another site Google had given me, Dubai-Tourism.net:
"Dubai Culture
Dubai is a cosmopolitan city and visitors can dress however they like. Still, a good amount of respect for local customs is appreciated. In deference to local customs and norms it is a good idea for visitors not to wear very short, tight clothing, at least until such time as they are comfortable with the city.
I went to another site, GoDubai:
"Dubai has managed to achieve what other Arab cities have failed to do, create the right balance western influence and eastern tradition. Its culture is rooted in Islamic traditions that penetrate the Arabian peninsula and beyond, but the city’s visionary development is evident proof of an open-minded and liberal outlook."
I've also seen on travel forums similar answers to the questions. One recently had answers from Dubai residents to a young single woman who asked what she should wear. They ranged from 'cover your arms & knees' to 'shorts & T-shirt can be worn anywhere'.
What I didn't find in this search were warnings about what is deemed to be indecent public behaviour.
What does the British Foreign office say?
"Women should dress modestly when in public areas, such as shopping malls. Clothes should cover the tops of the arms and legs, and underwear should not be visible.
Public displays of affection are frowned upon, and there have been several arrests for kissing in public. Sex outside of marriage is illegal and if any unmarried couples are brought to the attention of the UAE authorities they run the risk of prosecution, imprisonment and/or a fine and deportation.
Britons can find themselves facing charges relating to cultural differences, such as using bad language, rude gestures or public displays of affection. British nationals should also be aware of the UAE’s strict laws banning sex outside of marriage."
Well that's the most accurate but it conflicts with almost all the previous information I've been reading.
It's the only one I found that talks about unmarried couples - but compare that with the evidence of the Danielle Lloyd story.
The key phrase is hidden in there though. "...if any unmarried couples are brought to the attention of the UAE authorities..."
That's the reality of course. You can get away with just about anything as long as no-one calls the cops.
But then you don't need to be breaking any law to be arrested. You can just be unlucky enough to cross the path of someone in a bad mood or someone who's bored and needs to brighten up their day. That'll do it.
It needs sorting out.
For all of us living here, regardless of nationality, and for the millions of visitors.
I've quoted from these:
Kissing Dubai Brits.
Danielle Lloyd.
Expat Woman.
DTCM Tips for Tourists.
Dubai-Tourism.
GoDubai.
UK Travel Advisory.
First, a post on the forum of ExpatWoman (thanks to Trailing Spouse for sending it to me).
It says:
"today my 2 sons and my middle sons girlfriend went to MOE for the UFC signing at Virgin. After they went to the food court for pizza. My middle son went to fetch the order and as he sat down the security guard stormed over and agressively confronted him about kissing his girlfriend. He produced a leaflet and waved it in his face all the while shouting "not allowed, not allowed". Of course he had done no such thing with many witnesses to back him up. When they asked the security guard who had accused them he said " a lady over there".!!!!! Of course my son was very angry, but luckily he didnt swear!! Needless to say many other expats were around and were completely gobsmacked by the whole thing, The security guard was very agressive in his manner, but luckily another gaurd came over to defuse the situation, and he was also approached by another European to back my sons story. What a bad taste its left in our mouths. 17 years we have lived here, we know the law of the land!! What makes me so very cross is that a person can accuse you of something that you havent done, just because they can. What is this place coming to?"
It's another confirmation of what I've been ranting about for some time -any malicious person, someone in bad mood, someone in a temper, a rival, can have you arrested by simply claiming you committed an offence.
It happens, as several high-profile cases have confirmed.
And my bet is that we're going to see much more of it. Copycat stuff. People who're reading the recent high-profile cases deciding they'll do it too. As the poster said, simply because they can.
Then the second point, what tourists can learn about how they must behave.
Yesterday the Dubai Today programme on Dubai Eye radio had an extended segment on the British kissing couple case and its ramifications.
One thing that came up, as it has whenever the laws are discussed, is that visitors need to inform themselves about the way they must behave in countries they're visiting.
Very true, but visitors to Dubai get conflicting and confusing information all at the same time.
I did a quick bit of research on it, as someone coming here might.
I looked at it from a Brit's point of view, because they seem to be the ones falling foul of the law more than others.
The UK Foreign Office website says that proportionally, Britons are most likely to be arrested in the UAE than any other country in the world.
So what do they learn about Dubai before they come here?
From their media they get conflicting messages.
They see stories like these running at the same time:
"Kissing Dubai Brits to be jailed
TWO Britons convicted of kissing in public had their one-month prison sentence upheld by a Dubai court today."
"Danielle Lloyd shows off six-month bump as she embraces Jamie O'Hara on Dubai beach break
With just three months to go until the arrival of her first child, Danielle Lloyd's happiness is obvious. The glamour model wrapped her arms around her fiancé Jamie O'Hara as they embraced while preparing a barbecue in Dubai."
That's clear then.
Kissing is banned/is allowed. Unmarried couples are banned/allowed.
So they check the official Dubai Dept of Tourism & Commerce Marketing site.
Under 'Tips for Tourists' they find a caution - but only about prohibited medicines.
I couldn't find anything about unmarried couples or what is deemed indecent behaviour. I looked under 'Clothing' and found:
"Compared with certain parts of the Middle East, Dubai has a very relaxed dress code. However, care should be taken not to give offence by wearing clothing which may be considered revealing. At the pool or on the beaches, trunks, swim-suits and bikinis are quite acceptable."
Hmmm...
What about alcohol?
"Alcohol is available in hotel and club restaurants and bars. However, restaurants outside the hotels are not permitted to serve alcoholic beverages.
Nothing there to say that people have been charged with 'consuming alcohol'.
So I moved to another site Google had given me, Dubai-Tourism.net:
"Dubai Culture
Dubai is a cosmopolitan city and visitors can dress however they like. Still, a good amount of respect for local customs is appreciated. In deference to local customs and norms it is a good idea for visitors not to wear very short, tight clothing, at least until such time as they are comfortable with the city.
I went to another site, GoDubai:
"Dubai has managed to achieve what other Arab cities have failed to do, create the right balance western influence and eastern tradition. Its culture is rooted in Islamic traditions that penetrate the Arabian peninsula and beyond, but the city’s visionary development is evident proof of an open-minded and liberal outlook."
I've also seen on travel forums similar answers to the questions. One recently had answers from Dubai residents to a young single woman who asked what she should wear. They ranged from 'cover your arms & knees' to 'shorts & T-shirt can be worn anywhere'.
What I didn't find in this search were warnings about what is deemed to be indecent public behaviour.
What does the British Foreign office say?
"Women should dress modestly when in public areas, such as shopping malls. Clothes should cover the tops of the arms and legs, and underwear should not be visible.
Public displays of affection are frowned upon, and there have been several arrests for kissing in public. Sex outside of marriage is illegal and if any unmarried couples are brought to the attention of the UAE authorities they run the risk of prosecution, imprisonment and/or a fine and deportation.
Britons can find themselves facing charges relating to cultural differences, such as using bad language, rude gestures or public displays of affection. British nationals should also be aware of the UAE’s strict laws banning sex outside of marriage."
Well that's the most accurate but it conflicts with almost all the previous information I've been reading.
It's the only one I found that talks about unmarried couples - but compare that with the evidence of the Danielle Lloyd story.
The key phrase is hidden in there though. "...if any unmarried couples are brought to the attention of the UAE authorities..."
That's the reality of course. You can get away with just about anything as long as no-one calls the cops.
But then you don't need to be breaking any law to be arrested. You can just be unlucky enough to cross the path of someone in a bad mood or someone who's bored and needs to brighten up their day. That'll do it.
It needs sorting out.
For all of us living here, regardless of nationality, and for the millions of visitors.
I've quoted from these:
Kissing Dubai Brits.
Danielle Lloyd.
Expat Woman.
DTCM Tips for Tourists.
Dubai-Tourism.
GoDubai.
UK Travel Advisory.
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Blatant hypocrisy
I'm still on about the way the law is administered, and the effect it's having on tourism.
First, a quick word on tourism.
The latest stories getting huge international publicity, which I've been on about for the past few days, are the Simon Andrews road rage and the British kissing couple cases.
In itself this publicity is obviously bad for tourism. But there's a growing ripple effect too, if the origin of visitors to this blog is any indication.
Go back to April last year, when I responded to Johann Hari's "Dark Side of Dubai" story.
A number of international news sites gave a link to my post and at the time I had hundreds of hits from their readers. Then it dropped off and I got one now and again.
Many people reading the current stories have obviously gone searching for negative stuff about Dubai because I'm suddenly getting many more visits again from those earlier links.
So all the old stories are being read again and the negativity spreads. Not good for the tourism that's such a large percentage of the economy.
Then a great example of the double standards that cause so much derision for Dubai, and confusion about what's allowed and what's illegal, at the same time as the jail-for-kissing case.
There are two major problems to the administration of the legal system, as I see it.
One I've been ranting about for a few days, that people can be found guilty on no more than another person's say-so.
The other is the absolute random, arbitrary way the law is enforced. All the decency laws are broken all over the city all the time with no charges .
Unmarried couples openly co-habit, there's sex outside marriage, revealing clothing is normal city wear, prostitution is blatant. It's not even a case of people keeping their heads down and not drawing attention to themselves.
Yet once in a blue moon someone is suddenly given jail time and deported for what thousands of others are doing unhindered.
The Daily Mail has an example, with a raft of photos of a pregnant unmarried model, Danielle Lloyd, and her fiance who are in Dubai on holiday, kissing in public view.
The headline is:
"Danielle Lloyd shows off six-month bump as she embraces Jamie O'Hara on Dubai beach"
So they're breaking the sex before marriage law, the unmarried couples living together law, the public decency law.
A couple of the comments left are asking 'how come they were not arrested?" A perfectly reasonable question.
No wonder there's confusion. No wonder Dubai's reputation is suffering.
People are being given at the same time two totally different versions of what is and is not acceptable behaviour in Dubai.
The Daily Mail story is here.
First, a quick word on tourism.
The latest stories getting huge international publicity, which I've been on about for the past few days, are the Simon Andrews road rage and the British kissing couple cases.
In itself this publicity is obviously bad for tourism. But there's a growing ripple effect too, if the origin of visitors to this blog is any indication.
Go back to April last year, when I responded to Johann Hari's "Dark Side of Dubai" story.
A number of international news sites gave a link to my post and at the time I had hundreds of hits from their readers. Then it dropped off and I got one now and again.
Many people reading the current stories have obviously gone searching for negative stuff about Dubai because I'm suddenly getting many more visits again from those earlier links.
So all the old stories are being read again and the negativity spreads. Not good for the tourism that's such a large percentage of the economy.
Then a great example of the double standards that cause so much derision for Dubai, and confusion about what's allowed and what's illegal, at the same time as the jail-for-kissing case.
There are two major problems to the administration of the legal system, as I see it.
One I've been ranting about for a few days, that people can be found guilty on no more than another person's say-so.
The other is the absolute random, arbitrary way the law is enforced. All the decency laws are broken all over the city all the time with no charges .
Unmarried couples openly co-habit, there's sex outside marriage, revealing clothing is normal city wear, prostitution is blatant. It's not even a case of people keeping their heads down and not drawing attention to themselves.
Yet once in a blue moon someone is suddenly given jail time and deported for what thousands of others are doing unhindered.
The Daily Mail has an example, with a raft of photos of a pregnant unmarried model, Danielle Lloyd, and her fiance who are in Dubai on holiday, kissing in public view.
The headline is:
"Danielle Lloyd shows off six-month bump as she embraces Jamie O'Hara on Dubai beach"
So they're breaking the sex before marriage law, the unmarried couples living together law, the public decency law.
A couple of the comments left are asking 'how come they were not arrested?" A perfectly reasonable question.
No wonder there's confusion. No wonder Dubai's reputation is suffering.
People are being given at the same time two totally different versions of what is and is not acceptable behaviour in Dubai.
The Daily Mail story is here.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Jail for 'planning to commit sin'
Dubai's in the news around the world again and it's on the subject of my recent posts, the laws and justice. Again.
This time the headline used most often is "Steamy text messages land couple in Dubai jail"
Text messages between the couple surfaced in a divorce lawsuit by the woman's estranged husband.
The court ruling said there was not enough evidence to determine whether the couple actually had an affair, but they were found guilty of 'planning to commit sin'.
Al Slammer for six months followed by deportation.
On appeal the sentence was reduced to three months and no deportation.
It's splashed all over the media all over the world - google it and you'll get thousands of websites.
And, of course, the story ends by reminding readers of previous cases.
Hoteliers here, already struggling with an oversupply of rooms and the worldwide recession, must be tearing their hair out.
This time the headline used most often is "Steamy text messages land couple in Dubai jail"
Text messages between the couple surfaced in a divorce lawsuit by the woman's estranged husband.
The court ruling said there was not enough evidence to determine whether the couple actually had an affair, but they were found guilty of 'planning to commit sin'.
Al Slammer for six months followed by deportation.
On appeal the sentence was reduced to three months and no deportation.
It's splashed all over the media all over the world - google it and you'll get thousands of websites.
And, of course, the story ends by reminding readers of previous cases.
Hoteliers here, already struggling with an oversupply of rooms and the worldwide recession, must be tearing their hair out.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Some good news for Dubai
We're no longer Top Ten, which for once is good news.
This Top Ten is a list of the cities with the world's most expensive hotels. Dubai has been at or close to the top for expensive hotels for some time.
Now we're not even in the Top Ten according to the report of a survey I found in The Daily Telegraph.
World's most expensive cities for hotels
Moscow £266.56
Abu Dhabi £223.35
New York City £203.70
Paris £201.07
Manama (Bahrain) £189.36
Milan £185.73
Geneva £185.19
Copenhagen £182.74
Washington £179.53
Athens £177.81
This Top Ten is a list of the cities with the world's most expensive hotels. Dubai has been at or close to the top for expensive hotels for some time.
Now we're not even in the Top Ten according to the report of a survey I found in The Daily Telegraph.
World's most expensive cities for hotels
Moscow £266.56
Abu Dhabi £223.35
New York City £203.70
Paris £201.07
Manama (Bahrain) £189.36
Milan £185.73
Geneva £185.19
Copenhagen £182.74
Washington £179.53
Athens £177.81
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The clarifications begin...
The first of the 'clarifications' on the visa story I posted about yesterday appears in Gulf News today.
I said in the post that one of the things the announcement hadn't explained was whether the rule that visitors cannot re-enter the country for one month applied to the 33 passports which get an automatic visa on arrival.
Today's 'clarification' actually talks about 36 passports - they've added Cyprus, Malta and Paraguay to the previous list.
Citizens of those 36 countries are exempt apparently and can come and go at any time.
So that's one question answered.
Now they need to give some thought to the effects of the one month ban on the cruise business, which Dubai is trying so hard and expensively to develop, and on the general tour business here. Thirty-six exempt passports means citizens of about 170 countries are not exempt.
The 'clarification' with the list of passports exempt is here.
I said in the post that one of the things the announcement hadn't explained was whether the rule that visitors cannot re-enter the country for one month applied to the 33 passports which get an automatic visa on arrival.
Today's 'clarification' actually talks about 36 passports - they've added Cyprus, Malta and Paraguay to the previous list.
Citizens of those 36 countries are exempt apparently and can come and go at any time.
So that's one question answered.
Now they need to give some thought to the effects of the one month ban on the cruise business, which Dubai is trying so hard and expensively to develop, and on the general tour business here. Thirty-six exempt passports means citizens of about 170 countries are not exempt.
The 'clarification' with the list of passports exempt is here.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Act now think later
We had a report on Sunday that an official has confirmed that visit, transit & tourism visas are for one visit only. Visitors leaving the country can't re-enter for one month, after which they'll need a new visa to come back in.
This visa 'clarification' is another example of the sort of nonsense we get all-too regularly. There's no thought about what it actually means before an announcement is made.
Relate it to another subject we've had stories on recently, about Dubai being a regional cruise ship hub. That's not to mention huge government investment in infrastructure for it.
So are the cruises for residents only?
If visitors enter the UAE and get on a cruise ship they can't, according to this 'clarification', come ashore when it docks back in Dubai. They've already used up the one entry allowed by their visa. And they can't come back in for a month.
So what happens?
The report is also yet another example of something else I complain about ad nauseum, the lack of questions from 'journalists'.
An official makes a statement which raises more questions than it answers, yet the questions aren't asked.
In addition to the cruise customer questions, what about the 33 passport holders who get an automatic visa on arrival? Does the one month ban apply to them too?
Gulf News has the visa 'clarification' here.
This visa 'clarification' is another example of the sort of nonsense we get all-too regularly. There's no thought about what it actually means before an announcement is made.
Relate it to another subject we've had stories on recently, about Dubai being a regional cruise ship hub. That's not to mention huge government investment in infrastructure for it.
So are the cruises for residents only?
If visitors enter the UAE and get on a cruise ship they can't, according to this 'clarification', come ashore when it docks back in Dubai. They've already used up the one entry allowed by their visa. And they can't come back in for a month.
So what happens?
The report is also yet another example of something else I complain about ad nauseum, the lack of questions from 'journalists'.
An official makes a statement which raises more questions than it answers, yet the questions aren't asked.
In addition to the cruise customer questions, what about the 33 passport holders who get an automatic visa on arrival? Does the one month ban apply to them too?
Gulf News has the visa 'clarification' here.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Dubai vs Abu Dhabi
Today's Travel section of 'Sydney Morning Herald' has a piece on the rivalry between AD and Dubai.
Less hysterical reporting in this one than we've seen in the past, especially in the articles about Dubai. It looks as though the writer, Michelle Wranik, actually spent some time here and got herself out and about.
For example, in previous atrticles I haven't seen much about my favourite areas of Dubai, like this:
...you can find some of the tastiest curries and thalis at rock-bottom prices in Karama or Satwa – both grungier, though character-filled suburban areas.
It's in these lesser-known areas where Dubai hides most of its surprises. Like parts of the beachside Umm Suqeim or Jumeirah, where there are small mosques on every corner, ramshackle fishermen's huts and a well-loved sailing club. Or the scruffy commercial district, Al Quoz, where the number of art galleries sprouting up suggests a city ready for a cultural renaissance.
The labyrinth of souks in Deira, on the eastern side of Dubai Creek, also offers a glimpse into the city's past. The muddled rabbit warrens of stalls manned by Indian and Persian merchants sell everything from tacky magnets to fine silk, gold and spices. Walking along the creek at night when the calls to prayer sound in unison from the surrounding mosques feels worlds away from glacially air-conditioned shopping malls. There's even a Little India of sorts, in the form of Hindi Lane – a chaotic alley behind the fabric souk, packed with stalls selling flower garlands, incense and statues of Hindu idols.
The final para about Dubai was perceptive:
For those who fail to see beyond the fancy facade, Dubai is the epitome of gaudy. But scrape beneath the surface and that's where the similarity between Paris Hilton and Dubai begins and ends. It's not as synthetic as it looks.
One of the problems with most previous articles is that they've been unbalanced with plenty of inaccuracies. They've either been breathless, over the top reports of nothing but the new developments or 'dark side of Dubai' stories.
The article is here.
Less hysterical reporting in this one than we've seen in the past, especially in the articles about Dubai. It looks as though the writer, Michelle Wranik, actually spent some time here and got herself out and about.
For example, in previous atrticles I haven't seen much about my favourite areas of Dubai, like this:
...you can find some of the tastiest curries and thalis at rock-bottom prices in Karama or Satwa – both grungier, though character-filled suburban areas.
It's in these lesser-known areas where Dubai hides most of its surprises. Like parts of the beachside Umm Suqeim or Jumeirah, where there are small mosques on every corner, ramshackle fishermen's huts and a well-loved sailing club. Or the scruffy commercial district, Al Quoz, where the number of art galleries sprouting up suggests a city ready for a cultural renaissance.
The labyrinth of souks in Deira, on the eastern side of Dubai Creek, also offers a glimpse into the city's past. The muddled rabbit warrens of stalls manned by Indian and Persian merchants sell everything from tacky magnets to fine silk, gold and spices. Walking along the creek at night when the calls to prayer sound in unison from the surrounding mosques feels worlds away from glacially air-conditioned shopping malls. There's even a Little India of sorts, in the form of Hindi Lane – a chaotic alley behind the fabric souk, packed with stalls selling flower garlands, incense and statues of Hindu idols.
The final para about Dubai was perceptive:
For those who fail to see beyond the fancy facade, Dubai is the epitome of gaudy. But scrape beneath the surface and that's where the similarity between Paris Hilton and Dubai begins and ends. It's not as synthetic as it looks.
One of the problems with most previous articles is that they've been unbalanced with plenty of inaccuracies. They've either been breathless, over the top reports of nothing but the new developments or 'dark side of Dubai' stories.
The article is here.
Friday, January 30, 2009
The tour guide thing
We've had friends from Oz in town the past couple of days, so I've been doing the tour guide thing.
I've always enjoyed doing that wherever I've lived, one reason being that you look at the place from a different perspective when you're showing people around.
Things you normally walk past without a glance you stop at, and not only take time to look but also talk about them, maybe learning a bit more about them yourself in the process.
Peter & Vanessa are an architect and a town planner respectively, so there's plenty to interest them in Dubai. Their first visit was eighteen months ago and they were comparing the amazing speed of development with the lack of speed for even the smallest job in Oz.
We packed a fair bit into the two days. Took them here...
...and straight on to here, a real contrast maybe twenty minutes or so apart...
Took an abra across the Creek of course, the difference in safety regulations being a point they made but which we're used to. No safety rails around it, two lifebelts for twenty-one people on board, the abra stopping by thumping into the dock, no tying up nonsense, just jump the half metre between abra and dock.
Lots of other little bits and pieces caught their attention too, things we take for granted and hardly notice. Like a Ladies Banking section...
That made me wonder about the use of pink for ladies - a pink sign on the ladies' banking section, pink ladies only taxis. Is it pink for girls and blue for boys everywhere in the world I wonder?
The Walk at JBR has all sorts of DFS related stuff going on - we were planning to go for a pizza at Scoozi yesterday evening - the best pizza in town folks - but it was traffic gridlock.
I have no idea what was going on but all the roads into The Walk were blocked off. Naturally there was no warning anywhere so thousands of vehicles which could and would have avoided the area were jammed solid. It took me an hour to get out of it.
We guessed the blocking off might be for a street parade or something but I didn't see anything in this morning's papers.
I've always enjoyed doing that wherever I've lived, one reason being that you look at the place from a different perspective when you're showing people around.
Things you normally walk past without a glance you stop at, and not only take time to look but also talk about them, maybe learning a bit more about them yourself in the process.
Peter & Vanessa are an architect and a town planner respectively, so there's plenty to interest them in Dubai. Their first visit was eighteen months ago and they were comparing the amazing speed of development with the lack of speed for even the smallest job in Oz.
We packed a fair bit into the two days. Took them here...
...and straight on to here, a real contrast maybe twenty minutes or so apart...
Took an abra across the Creek of course, the difference in safety regulations being a point they made but which we're used to. No safety rails around it, two lifebelts for twenty-one people on board, the abra stopping by thumping into the dock, no tying up nonsense, just jump the half metre between abra and dock.
Lots of other little bits and pieces caught their attention too, things we take for granted and hardly notice. Like a Ladies Banking section...
That made me wonder about the use of pink for ladies - a pink sign on the ladies' banking section, pink ladies only taxis. Is it pink for girls and blue for boys everywhere in the world I wonder?
The Walk at JBR has all sorts of DFS related stuff going on - we were planning to go for a pizza at Scoozi yesterday evening - the best pizza in town folks - but it was traffic gridlock.
I have no idea what was going on but all the roads into The Walk were blocked off. Naturally there was no warning anywhere so thousands of vehicles which could and would have avoided the area were jammed solid. It took me an hour to get out of it.
We guessed the blocking off might be for a street parade or something but I didn't see anything in this morning's papers.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Mind boggling bureaucracy
Red tape isn't unique to Dubai by any stretch of the imagination. But as New Dubai is being built from scratch we have the opportunity not to make the mistakes others have made. We can look around the world, we can see what the problems are, we can see the very best as well as the worst. We can reject the bad and take & adapt the best of the best.
But all too often we don't.
Two stories in the news the past couple of days illustrate the problem. Car pooling and visas.
Car pooling is something that is an obvious tool in the battle against congested traffic. We don't have a viable public transport system so by necessity private vehicle use is high.
On their Sharekni website the RTA lists ten excellent reasons for encouraging car pooling, indicating that they understand the problem.
So what do the authorities need to do about car pooling?
Nothing.
Well just one thing. Taking the lead from other commuter cities around the world, make a transit lane available only to cars which are full. The lane operates with the traffic flow morning and evening during the appropriate timings, with the police out to ensure compliance.
Apart from that there's nothing that needs to be done. Just let people get on with it, resulting in all the benefits the RTA itself lists.
So having now decided that car pooling is legal and A Good Thing is that what happens?
No, we have a huge, complicated, unnecessary system installed.
People wanting to car pool have to register on the website. Name, gender, nationality, employer's name, contact numbers...the usual red tape. They have to record the vehicle, the driver's details, the passengers' details. If they take it in turns to drive each other to work they all have to register as driver of their own car and as passenger in each of the other cars.
The permission is valid for six months and all drivers and passengers must renew the permission before it expires.
The obvious question is why complicate a very simple issue?
Then to the new visa regulations.
If they've decided that the visa renewal runs to Kish, Oman etc are to be stopped, if they want to reduce the number of people coming on a visit visa and looking for a job, I'm not querying that.
But increasing tourism is an important element in Dubai's future. So is industrial & commercial expansion, with its demand for more workers. Making it harder, more complicated, more costly to come to Dubai hurts those vital parts of Dubai's future.
And why on earth introduce so many different types of visa, so many different costs, so many restrictions, so much bureaucracy?
As part of the changes announced yesterday we were told that the 34 nationalities previously given a free 60 day visa on arrival will from July 29 have to pay Dh100 for a 30 day visa and Dh610 for a 30 day extension.
Today we're told that this fee is 'on hold until the correct mechanism is in place'.
Introduce a system, put a start date on it, then realise that you forgot to put a mechanism in place to actually operate it.
Well done.
Everyone arriving, except the 34 nationalities, must pay a Dh1,000 refundable deposit.
Who will collect the deposit? Travel agent, airline, Immigration desk at the airport?
Think of the bureaucracy it'll take to collect and give receipts for the money.
And, worse, how will refunding it be handled?
Do visitors have to go back to their travel agent or airline? Will it be refunded at the airport after they've checked in for their outward flight? A super-jumbo full, over half a million dirhams to be refunded per aircraft, all queueing up somewhere with receipts to be checked, money to be counted.
The information we have is vague at best.
Everyone arriving, except the 34 nationalities, must have health insurance.
Apparently, health insurance was necessary because: "People could be involved in a traffic accident or get a health problem."
Fair enough but, errr, doesn't this apply to citizens of the 34 countries too?
Anyway, moving on...the list of visas now available is multi-entry, long term, short term, education, medical treatment, exhibition, conference, festival, tourist, service, transit plus a whole list for 'complimentary', embassies, GCC. They range from a validity of 14 to 90 days, costs from free to Dh2110.
Tourist visas can only be applied for by hotels or licensed travel agents, residents cannot sponsor friends. Question. What about visitors staying with friends who do as airlines encourage us to do and book with them direct online? There are thousands who fall into this category, helping our economy by spending money while they're here.
An over-complicated system, far too much bureaucracy and, it would appear either not thought through properly or not communicated properly.
Probably both.
Sharekni is here.
Visa reports are here and here.
But all too often we don't.
Two stories in the news the past couple of days illustrate the problem. Car pooling and visas.
Car pooling is something that is an obvious tool in the battle against congested traffic. We don't have a viable public transport system so by necessity private vehicle use is high.
On their Sharekni website the RTA lists ten excellent reasons for encouraging car pooling, indicating that they understand the problem.
So what do the authorities need to do about car pooling?
Nothing.
Well just one thing. Taking the lead from other commuter cities around the world, make a transit lane available only to cars which are full. The lane operates with the traffic flow morning and evening during the appropriate timings, with the police out to ensure compliance.
Apart from that there's nothing that needs to be done. Just let people get on with it, resulting in all the benefits the RTA itself lists.
So having now decided that car pooling is legal and A Good Thing is that what happens?
No, we have a huge, complicated, unnecessary system installed.
People wanting to car pool have to register on the website. Name, gender, nationality, employer's name, contact numbers...the usual red tape. They have to record the vehicle, the driver's details, the passengers' details. If they take it in turns to drive each other to work they all have to register as driver of their own car and as passenger in each of the other cars.
The permission is valid for six months and all drivers and passengers must renew the permission before it expires.
The obvious question is why complicate a very simple issue?
Then to the new visa regulations.
If they've decided that the visa renewal runs to Kish, Oman etc are to be stopped, if they want to reduce the number of people coming on a visit visa and looking for a job, I'm not querying that.
But increasing tourism is an important element in Dubai's future. So is industrial & commercial expansion, with its demand for more workers. Making it harder, more complicated, more costly to come to Dubai hurts those vital parts of Dubai's future.
And why on earth introduce so many different types of visa, so many different costs, so many restrictions, so much bureaucracy?
As part of the changes announced yesterday we were told that the 34 nationalities previously given a free 60 day visa on arrival will from July 29 have to pay Dh100 for a 30 day visa and Dh610 for a 30 day extension.
Today we're told that this fee is 'on hold until the correct mechanism is in place'.
Introduce a system, put a start date on it, then realise that you forgot to put a mechanism in place to actually operate it.
Well done.
Everyone arriving, except the 34 nationalities, must pay a Dh1,000 refundable deposit.
Who will collect the deposit? Travel agent, airline, Immigration desk at the airport?
Think of the bureaucracy it'll take to collect and give receipts for the money.
And, worse, how will refunding it be handled?
Do visitors have to go back to their travel agent or airline? Will it be refunded at the airport after they've checked in for their outward flight? A super-jumbo full, over half a million dirhams to be refunded per aircraft, all queueing up somewhere with receipts to be checked, money to be counted.
The information we have is vague at best.
Everyone arriving, except the 34 nationalities, must have health insurance.
Apparently, health insurance was necessary because: "People could be involved in a traffic accident or get a health problem."
Fair enough but, errr, doesn't this apply to citizens of the 34 countries too?
Anyway, moving on...the list of visas now available is multi-entry, long term, short term, education, medical treatment, exhibition, conference, festival, tourist, service, transit plus a whole list for 'complimentary', embassies, GCC. They range from a validity of 14 to 90 days, costs from free to Dh2110.
Tourist visas can only be applied for by hotels or licensed travel agents, residents cannot sponsor friends. Question. What about visitors staying with friends who do as airlines encourage us to do and book with them direct online? There are thousands who fall into this category, helping our economy by spending money while they're here.
An over-complicated system, far too much bureaucracy and, it would appear either not thought through properly or not communicated properly.
Probably both.
Sharekni is here.
Visa reports are here and here.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Here I go again...
There's a difference of opinion brewing up between the police and the RTA, according to Gulf News.
They headline the story:
Dubai Police and RTA on collision course
OFFICIALS LOCK HORNS OVER MINIMUM SPEED LIMIT
Brig Mohammad Saif Al Zafein (lef), Director of
Traffic Department and Maitha Obaid Bin Udai,
CEO of the Traffic and Roads Agency.
I'm sure I remember other occasions when they haven't seen eye to eye too.
The proposed minimum speed limit on highways is another example of wooly thinking. It's not thought through properly. It's not the answer to the problem.
But this is an almost insignificant part of the bigger picture. The bigger picture is that the RTA, and the three Master Developers of 'New Dubai', have destroyed the vision for Dubai.
And I don't say "possibly" or "potentially" or "unless they change tack". It's already too late. The damage can't be undone.
I'm talking about the appalling mis-management of the roads, the unbelievably incompetent 'planning'. 'New Dubai' is a fraction of what it will be but it's gridlocked already.
Worse, when you eventually get through the traffic there's nowhere to park.
The pat answer that 'when the infrastructure's complete it'll all be sorted out' simply isn't true. Try to visit a company at Media/Internet City. You simply can't park - there isn't even anywhere near enough space for the people who work there to park.
Underground car parks can't be built, the buildings are already existing. There's no space for multi-storey car parks unless entire existing new buildings are demolished.
Try to visit someone in Dubai Marina. A tiny number of the final total of buildings are finished and occupied, yet it's chaos. There's not even enough space for the residents to park, so cars are on all the footpaths, the roundabouts and blocking the roads. Visitors stand no chance.
Parking at Dubai Marina
Try to visit the restaurants at Phase 1, it's a great location and a great way to spend an evening - there's no parking space.
The stretch of Al Sufouh Road from Jumeirah Beach Residence, and remember that no-one has moved in there yet, to the traffic light junction outside Mina Seyahi is solid for hours morning and evening. It takes nearly an hour to go two or three kilometres.
Gridlock on Al Sufouh Road.
I know this is the result of new roadworks - I wrote about it a couple of days ago. it's yet another example of roads that had been completed, at great expense and great disruption, only to be torn up a few months later. This particular bottleneck will get easier as the roadwork is finished.
But.
The road to & from the vast JBR plus the apartment blocks and hotels opposite it has to cross the Marina sea outlet - and it has a bridge with only two lanes, one in either direction.
A small part of Jumeirah Beach Residence.
A development of about 10,000 apartments and they think a single lane bridge will be adequate! Which genius came up with that?!
The road leading into this area from the other side of the Marina, past the Diamond Towers, is also solid. Added to this congestion, a newly opened flyover on the new Junction 5 is pouring traffic into the small, local, residential traffic light junction outside Marina Heights tower. That's another one that will soon be dug up and changed because their 'plans' didn't work. Although this one has very little space in which do do anything else.
Congestion the other side of the Marina.
It's all very well having 12 lane freeways to speed traffic along, but when it tries to get off it hits a bottleneck. There are towers all around the bottlenecks, and they're owned by individual, mostly international, investors. Unlike locally owned small properties, they can't simply be demolished and the owners compensated.
There's no space now to solve the traffic crisis.
The Metro is another example of the incompetent 'planning'.
People in the residential and commercial areas of 'New Dubai' will be kilometres from a station. But only three stations, at the end of the lines, have parking spaces!
People are not going to walk kilometres to a Metro station, even in the good weather. So do they expect people to drive kilometres out of their way to get to a station with parking facilities? If they did it would only add to the road congestion, not help it. But of course people won't do that - they'll just carry on using their car as before and ignore the Metro.
The whole traffic/parking situation is a disaster and it's the 'planners' who've caused it. And it has, as I said before, destroyed the vision for Dubai.
If people can't move around easily to carry out their business, businesses won't want to locate here. If people can't get to & from work easily they won't want to work here. If exhibitors and visitors can't easily get to exhibitions, and can't park when they do arrive, our conference/exhibition business is damaged. If people can't get to attractions, to restaurants, to shops then those businesses suffer. Tourists won't come if they're going to spend half their holiday in traffic jams.
Look at the traffic & parking chaos if you try to visit a business on Sheikh Zayed Road. We get the same negative reports from exhibitions and conferences at the Trade Centre. I've already mentioned Media/Internet City and Dubai Marina. None of the other vast developments are ready yet, but you can bet they'll have exactly the same problems.
And still we have yet more buildings going up with inadequate parking and inadequate access roads.
What's even more infuriating is that it needn't have been.
They started with a blank canvas, an area of empty desert. They had no historic buildings or streets to preserve, there was nothing there. They had the luxury of empty space to plan on, something that very few planners around the world have.
And they got it competely, disastrously wrong.
The Gulf News story that started me off ranting is here.
They headline the story:
Dubai Police and RTA on collision course
OFFICIALS LOCK HORNS OVER MINIMUM SPEED LIMIT
Brig Mohammad Saif Al Zafein (lef), Director of
Traffic Department and Maitha Obaid Bin Udai,
CEO of the Traffic and Roads Agency.
I'm sure I remember other occasions when they haven't seen eye to eye too.
The proposed minimum speed limit on highways is another example of wooly thinking. It's not thought through properly. It's not the answer to the problem.
But this is an almost insignificant part of the bigger picture. The bigger picture is that the RTA, and the three Master Developers of 'New Dubai', have destroyed the vision for Dubai.
And I don't say "possibly" or "potentially" or "unless they change tack". It's already too late. The damage can't be undone.
I'm talking about the appalling mis-management of the roads, the unbelievably incompetent 'planning'. 'New Dubai' is a fraction of what it will be but it's gridlocked already.
Worse, when you eventually get through the traffic there's nowhere to park.
The pat answer that 'when the infrastructure's complete it'll all be sorted out' simply isn't true. Try to visit a company at Media/Internet City. You simply can't park - there isn't even anywhere near enough space for the people who work there to park.
Underground car parks can't be built, the buildings are already existing. There's no space for multi-storey car parks unless entire existing new buildings are demolished.
Try to visit someone in Dubai Marina. A tiny number of the final total of buildings are finished and occupied, yet it's chaos. There's not even enough space for the residents to park, so cars are on all the footpaths, the roundabouts and blocking the roads. Visitors stand no chance.
Parking at Dubai Marina
Try to visit the restaurants at Phase 1, it's a great location and a great way to spend an evening - there's no parking space.
The stretch of Al Sufouh Road from Jumeirah Beach Residence, and remember that no-one has moved in there yet, to the traffic light junction outside Mina Seyahi is solid for hours morning and evening. It takes nearly an hour to go two or three kilometres.
Gridlock on Al Sufouh Road.
I know this is the result of new roadworks - I wrote about it a couple of days ago. it's yet another example of roads that had been completed, at great expense and great disruption, only to be torn up a few months later. This particular bottleneck will get easier as the roadwork is finished.
But.
The road to & from the vast JBR plus the apartment blocks and hotels opposite it has to cross the Marina sea outlet - and it has a bridge with only two lanes, one in either direction.
A small part of Jumeirah Beach Residence.
A development of about 10,000 apartments and they think a single lane bridge will be adequate! Which genius came up with that?!
The road leading into this area from the other side of the Marina, past the Diamond Towers, is also solid. Added to this congestion, a newly opened flyover on the new Junction 5 is pouring traffic into the small, local, residential traffic light junction outside Marina Heights tower. That's another one that will soon be dug up and changed because their 'plans' didn't work. Although this one has very little space in which do do anything else.
Congestion the other side of the Marina.
It's all very well having 12 lane freeways to speed traffic along, but when it tries to get off it hits a bottleneck. There are towers all around the bottlenecks, and they're owned by individual, mostly international, investors. Unlike locally owned small properties, they can't simply be demolished and the owners compensated.
There's no space now to solve the traffic crisis.
The Metro is another example of the incompetent 'planning'.
People in the residential and commercial areas of 'New Dubai' will be kilometres from a station. But only three stations, at the end of the lines, have parking spaces!
People are not going to walk kilometres to a Metro station, even in the good weather. So do they expect people to drive kilometres out of their way to get to a station with parking facilities? If they did it would only add to the road congestion, not help it. But of course people won't do that - they'll just carry on using their car as before and ignore the Metro.
The whole traffic/parking situation is a disaster and it's the 'planners' who've caused it. And it has, as I said before, destroyed the vision for Dubai.
If people can't move around easily to carry out their business, businesses won't want to locate here. If people can't get to & from work easily they won't want to work here. If exhibitors and visitors can't easily get to exhibitions, and can't park when they do arrive, our conference/exhibition business is damaged. If people can't get to attractions, to restaurants, to shops then those businesses suffer. Tourists won't come if they're going to spend half their holiday in traffic jams.
Look at the traffic & parking chaos if you try to visit a business on Sheikh Zayed Road. We get the same negative reports from exhibitions and conferences at the Trade Centre. I've already mentioned Media/Internet City and Dubai Marina. None of the other vast developments are ready yet, but you can bet they'll have exactly the same problems.
And still we have yet more buildings going up with inadequate parking and inadequate access roads.
What's even more infuriating is that it needn't have been.
They started with a blank canvas, an area of empty desert. They had no historic buildings or streets to preserve, there was nothing there. They had the luxury of empty space to plan on, something that very few planners around the world have.
And they got it competely, disastrously wrong.
The Gulf News story that started me off ranting is here.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Bad zoo news
I'm told Dubai zoo's move has been canned yet again.
This really is unacceptable - the zoo is an embarrassment, a blot on Dubai's name, an absolute disgrace in this day and age. It's particularly appalling given the billions of dollars being invested in the emirate.
Can you imagine horses or camels being imprisoned in the way the animals at the zoo are cramped into tiny, unsuitable space? Of course not.
I don't understand how the municipality can let this continue. It's not only damaging Dubai's reputation, it's a missed commercial opportunity - not something of which the authorities are often guilty. A good, modern zoological garden is a tourist attraction, a money-making enterprise.
It's another problem that's being mishandled and needs Sheikh Mohammed's urgent attention.
This really is unacceptable - the zoo is an embarrassment, a blot on Dubai's name, an absolute disgrace in this day and age. It's particularly appalling given the billions of dollars being invested in the emirate.
Can you imagine horses or camels being imprisoned in the way the animals at the zoo are cramped into tiny, unsuitable space? Of course not.
I don't understand how the municipality can let this continue. It's not only damaging Dubai's reputation, it's a missed commercial opportunity - not something of which the authorities are often guilty. A good, modern zoological garden is a tourist attraction, a money-making enterprise.
It's another problem that's being mishandled and needs Sheikh Mohammed's urgent attention.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Beach update.
Back from Cairo - and am I pleased to be back in clean, unpolluted, garbage-free Dubai!
More of that later.
I went for my usual walk along Umm Suqeim beach earlier this morning, the one that caused so much comment when the development on it was announced - only for Sheikh Mohammed to step in and stop the project.
If you scroll down to 'Life's a beach' you'll see the photos I took on March 18. Here, from the same locations, are the photos I took this morning.
Not quite gone but almost, and the workmen are now going in the right direction, taking stuff from the beach rather than putting it onto the beach.
And finally, a shot from way up towards the other end of the beach. People complain that we don't have much beach, but they're the ones who repeat hearsay and rumours rather than checking things out for themselves. This stretch is several kilometres long, it's free and open to all.
Monday, March 26, 2007
The beach background facts
I've previously talked about the fence going up along the beach at Umm Suqeim, here and on the UAE Community Blog, the media has had some stories and there's now a website petition to 'save our beach'.
Here's the background.
The day after the fence started to appear, the newspapers ran a press release from Zabeel Investments:
"Zabeel Investments has begun work on a new 4.5 million square foot coastal development on Jumeirah Beach in Umm Suqeim, a company statement said.
"The unique mixed-use development will comprise residential, commercial and hospitality facilities reflecting a beachfront lifestyle," it said.
Located on the prestigious stretch in Umm Suqeim, the development will cover both existing and reclaimed land and will overlook the Burj Al Arab located just down the coast.
"We are in the early stages of this development and will shortly announce details of the project when finalised," Mohammad Ali Al Hashimi, executive chairman of Zabeel Investments, said."
If you go to the Dubai International Financial Centre website you'll find that Zabeel Investments has two directors and two shareholders listed. One is Mr. Mohammed Ali Ridha Ali Al Hashimi, the gentleman quoted in the press release.
The other is Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
I wouldn't bet on the petition to 'save our beach' being successful.
Here's the background.
The day after the fence started to appear, the newspapers ran a press release from Zabeel Investments:
"Zabeel Investments has begun work on a new 4.5 million square foot coastal development on Jumeirah Beach in Umm Suqeim, a company statement said.
"The unique mixed-use development will comprise residential, commercial and hospitality facilities reflecting a beachfront lifestyle," it said.
Located on the prestigious stretch in Umm Suqeim, the development will cover both existing and reclaimed land and will overlook the Burj Al Arab located just down the coast.
"We are in the early stages of this development and will shortly announce details of the project when finalised," Mohammad Ali Al Hashimi, executive chairman of Zabeel Investments, said."
If you go to the Dubai International Financial Centre website you'll find that Zabeel Investments has two directors and two shareholders listed. One is Mr. Mohammed Ali Ridha Ali Al Hashimi, the gentleman quoted in the press release.
The other is Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
I wouldn't bet on the petition to 'save our beach' being successful.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Life's a beach
We have some fabulous beaches in Dubai, huge stretches of soft white sand with warm turquoise water to swim in. They're part of life in Dubai for many people, especially at the weekend when friends meet there to relax after their hard working week.
We now have some iconic buildings on the beach too, which tourists love to photograph.
Today I took my camera when I went for a stroll along the most famous stretch of beach so that I could share some photographs of our beach culture with you.
First, the view of the beach from Umm Suqeim Park:
Then Burj Al Arab, the building that the tourist buses head to every morning so that the excited tourists can have their photo taken with our symbol of Dubai in the background:
And its sister hotel, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, photographed from the lifeguard tower at the end of the beach:
We now have some iconic buildings on the beach too, which tourists love to photograph.
Today I took my camera when I went for a stroll along the most famous stretch of beach so that I could share some photographs of our beach culture with you.
First, the view of the beach from Umm Suqeim Park:
Then Burj Al Arab, the building that the tourist buses head to every morning so that the excited tourists can have their photo taken with our symbol of Dubai in the background:
And its sister hotel, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, photographed from the lifeguard tower at the end of the beach:
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Tell me they're not!
The Burj al Arab beach has a very long fence going up, all the way from Umm Suqeim Fishing Port to beyond Umm Suqeim Park. It looks horribly like a typical construction site fence.
No signs, anonymous trucks, no logos on the workers' boiler suits.
More worrying, a construction site office is in place next to the Fishing Port.
So what are they up to? Not another development surely? We've lost more than enough beach already, from the very little that Dubai had to start with.
Not only residents would be disadvantaged, so would the tourist industry - a hell of a lot of them come for the beaches. It's what city-dwellers do for their holiday, go to a beach. And this one is a real tourist attraction because of the photographs of themselves with Burj al Arab in the background that they take.
I'm sure there will be news about what it's for before too long. Fingers crossed...
No signs, anonymous trucks, no logos on the workers' boiler suits.
More worrying, a construction site office is in place next to the Fishing Port.
So what are they up to? Not another development surely? We've lost more than enough beach already, from the very little that Dubai had to start with.
Not only residents would be disadvantaged, so would the tourist industry - a hell of a lot of them come for the beaches. It's what city-dwellers do for their holiday, go to a beach. And this one is a real tourist attraction because of the photographs of themselves with Burj al Arab in the background that they take.
I'm sure there will be news about what it's for before too long. Fingers crossed...
Monday, August 14, 2006
Promoting Dubai's tourism...
Here's a classic from the pages of 7Days, this published yesterday...
Hotel keeps guests’ passports after complaints over rats
A hotel is refusing to return the passports of a British family who complained their room was infested with rats. Roy Pegram and his family checked in to the Gulf Desert Hotel in Deira for two weeks. But one week into their stay they say their son found a rat in the bathroom.
Hotel cleaners killed the rat, but the next day two more were found in the room, they say.
Though the family is prepared to pay for the first week of their stay, they are refusing to pay for the time after the rats were found. The hotel, which admits there were rats in the room, has offered a discount of just dhs500, and is refusing to return the family’s passports until they pay the bill of dhs3,140.
But that's not the best bit. I love this:
A spokesman for the three-star hotel suggested to 7DAYS yesterday that the family, which has holidayed in the hotel for the past three years, may have planted the rats deliberately.
What did they do, bring the rats with them, keep them somewhere and release them one at a time? Or do they go into the back streets of Deira on rat-catching expeditions each evening?
And the hotel is withholding passports? Surely that can't be legal?
Anyway, Her Britannic Majesty's Government is on the case. Today the report is...
Hotel will release passports
A hotel has agreed to return the passports of a British family who refused to pay the bill after finding rats in their room. Yesterday 7DAYS reported how the Pegram family were prepared to pay for the first week of their two-week stay at the Gulf Desert Hotel in Deira, but would not pay for the time after the rats were found......But now the family is saying that not only will they not pay anything, they want compensation for clothes allegedly damaged by the rodents
It's all getting out of control and of course the longer the fight goes on the more press coverage it's going to get in the UK. "Rats in Dubai hotel" and "British passports seized" is the likely sort of coverage we'll be getting. Tabloids signing the family to exclusive deals..."Our Dubai holiday hell" sounds a likely headline.
I respectfully suggest that someone from Dubai Tourism gets down there pretty quickly to sort it out.
The stories are here and here.
Hotel keeps guests’ passports after complaints over rats
A hotel is refusing to return the passports of a British family who complained their room was infested with rats. Roy Pegram and his family checked in to the Gulf Desert Hotel in Deira for two weeks. But one week into their stay they say their son found a rat in the bathroom.
Hotel cleaners killed the rat, but the next day two more were found in the room, they say.
Though the family is prepared to pay for the first week of their stay, they are refusing to pay for the time after the rats were found. The hotel, which admits there were rats in the room, has offered a discount of just dhs500, and is refusing to return the family’s passports until they pay the bill of dhs3,140.
But that's not the best bit. I love this:
A spokesman for the three-star hotel suggested to 7DAYS yesterday that the family, which has holidayed in the hotel for the past three years, may have planted the rats deliberately.
What did they do, bring the rats with them, keep them somewhere and release them one at a time? Or do they go into the back streets of Deira on rat-catching expeditions each evening?
And the hotel is withholding passports? Surely that can't be legal?
Anyway, Her Britannic Majesty's Government is on the case. Today the report is...
Hotel will release passports
A hotel has agreed to return the passports of a British family who refused to pay the bill after finding rats in their room. Yesterday 7DAYS reported how the Pegram family were prepared to pay for the first week of their two-week stay at the Gulf Desert Hotel in Deira, but would not pay for the time after the rats were found......But now the family is saying that not only will they not pay anything, they want compensation for clothes allegedly damaged by the rodents
It's all getting out of control and of course the longer the fight goes on the more press coverage it's going to get in the UK. "Rats in Dubai hotel" and "British passports seized" is the likely sort of coverage we'll be getting. Tabloids signing the family to exclusive deals..."Our Dubai holiday hell" sounds a likely headline.
I respectfully suggest that someone from Dubai Tourism gets down there pretty quickly to sort it out.
The stories are here and here.
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