NEWS FROM THE UAE
SOURCE : THE NATIONAL
Women-only bus service for Dubai
DUBAI - APR 07: A women-only bus service will start this weekend in an effort to persuade more women to use public transport.
Route L55, the first of its kind, will start near Lulu Village and end in Satwa. The service is expected to start at 6.30am on Friday and follows research by the Public Transport Agency into likely demand.
Women are not allowed to stand on buses, even when no seat is available, which means they are often unable to board and have to wait for the next one.
“Buses deployed on the L55 will set off from Muhaisnah Four, near Lulu Village, to Satwa via Muraqqabat Road, Deira City Centre, Karama, and World Trade Interchange,” said Mohammed al Hashimi, director of planning and business development at the Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) Public Transport Agency.
Departures from Muhaisnah Four will be between 6.30am and 9am, and between 4pm and 8pm. If demand is strong the frequency will be increased.
“These timings witness the highest demand for such a service among ladies,” said Mr Al Hashimi. “The Public Transport Agency is keen on providing top-class services to bus commuters, including ladies.
“We hope that this step will play an active role in providing added privacy to ladies’ mobility on board RTA buses, thereby encouraging others to take-up the service,”
Shirline Sarmiento, 28, from the Philippines, said the idea was a good one, as it would cut waiting times at rush hour.
“Before, I missed some buses because they were full and there were no seats for women. I think it’s a good idea but if it is only for one route, it is not going to affect me that much, as I have to get to the Marina every day from Karama.”
Another Filipina, Karen Ortega, 25, said she was taking buses more often. “It used to take a long time to get around the city so now, if the traffic is not so bad, I will use a bus.”
The alternative for Ms Ortega is a taxi, but only when traffic is heavy because it would be quicker. “Now the traffic is not as bad as it used to be and it seems there are a lot more buses.
“I think it is a good idea to have a women-only bus because sometimes there are no seats left on them and we have to wait. It will be a good thing in the summer.”
The move is part of a wider initiative by the RTA, which launched a marketing campaign two weeks ago with the aim of getting 120 million passengers using Dubai’s bus services by next year.
That compares with the authority’s figures for last year, when there were more than 94 million passenger-journeys on two million bus trips.
The RTA announced in January that it would increase its bus fleet from 600 to 2,000 by the time the Metro’s Red Line opened in September. It also said it would increase the number of bus stops from 500 to 1,500 by 2010.
The plan will play an important role in the RTA’s goal of increasing public transport use more than four-fold over the next 11 years. It hopes that by 2020, 30 per cent of Dubai’s population will regularly use some form of mass transit, compared with seven per cent now.
One ticket every five minutes
ABU DHABI - APR 07: Police in the capital have been issuing parking tickets at the rate of one every five minutes this year, and say they are being particularly tough on offenders who block access for emergency services.
A total of 28,816 fines for illegal parking were handed out between Jan 1 and April 5, according to figures from Abu Dhabi Police traffic and patrols department.
Of these, 19,535 fines were issued for parking in “prohibited places”; 5,502 were for parking on pavements; 3,184 for parking in front of fire hydrants or in spaces reserved for ambulances or for people with special needs; and 595 for parking “in the middle of the street without a reason”.
Police are most concerned about parking in front of fire hydrants or in spaces designated for ambulances as this could prevent emergency services from reaching people in danger, said Major Ahmed al Neyadi, a public relations officer with the traffic and patrols department.
This also applies to poor parking that obstructs the movement of vehicles.
Major al Neyadi said this was now often being seen in the Khalidiya and Tourist Club areas, where vehicles are being parked in two rows down the middle of car parks, leaving barely enough room for others to pass.
“It makes it impossible for ambulance and civil defence vehicles to reach people,” he said. “We are instructed to go tough on these cars.”
Parking in front of fire hydrants or in spaces designated for ambulances or people with special needs carries the highest penalty – a Dh1,000 (US$376) fine and four demerit points. Motorists are fined Dh300 for parking behind vehicles and blocking their movement; Dh200 for stopping their vehicle in a way that may endanger or block traffic, plus three demerit points; and Dh200 for parking in a prohibited place, plus two demerit points.
Major al Neyadi suggested that if drivers cannot find parking near their homes or destination, they should look for a spot further away.
Drivers in the capital complain that it is difficult to find parking spaces, particularly in the Khalidiya and Tourist Club areas.
On Hamdan Street, one of the city’s most congested roads, vehicles are parked in front of rubbish containers, on pavements and in places designated for disabled motorists.
“It’s an absolute nightmare,” said Hanneke Willson, a teacher at the British School who lives near Al Noor Hospital on Hamdan Street. “Maybe if people were a little more polite and careful about what they did, and parked properly, then it could be a bit better.”
Other people in the area are pinning their hopes on the Department of Transport’s parking management programme that will be unveiled in June.
It is expected to include the introduction of parking meters in the downtown area and on Airport Road from the Corniche to Al Saada Street, parking permits for residents and the construction of more multi-storey car parks.
“If they introduce fees it is good, especially for the Hamdan area,” said Ali Abdulla Alhusani, a 47-year-old legal adviser for the Department of Finance. “If you have a flat in some area you should have reserved parking and it should be free at night.”
Khaled Mohammed, a night duty manager at the Novotel Centre Hotel on Hamdan Street, thought that the hotel’s customers would welcome paying a fee if it meant more spaces would be available. He said the lack of parking spaces hurt the hotel’s business.
“We have a big problem about parking because most of our customers are coming and it is very difficult finding a space,” Mr Mohammed said. “Some of them, they decide to leave.
“Most of them are business people so they don’t like to waste their time looking for a parking space.”
Beaded flag a labour of love
Jeyaraman Ravi displays his beaded UAE flag that took 14 months to make. Ryan Carter / The National
ABU DHABI - APR 07: It weighs 10 kilos, contains 288,400 beads and it is the ultimate testament to Jeyaraman Ravi’s love of the UAE.
The Indian expatriate is on the verge of the Guinness World Records after crafting a large beaded UAE flag during just about every minute of his spare time.
The arbiters of world milestones have confirmed his handiwork is so unique they have been forced to create a new category of record: largest two-dimensional beadwork.
It took Mr Ravi 14 months to weave the flag. He had aimed to complete it last year, in time for National Day celebrations, but it took longer than he expected and he put the finishing touches to it only 10 days ago.
“This is the only way I know to show appreciation for the leadership of the country.” said Mr Ravi, 41, who has lived in Abu Dhabi for more than two decades. “But if you take it to the Guinness Book, only then will I consider it a proper dedication. You need to have a certain mindset, a certain amount of determination and inner strength to enter their records.”
Beading is the only craft that Mr Ravi, a public relations representative for a computer support system, is familiar with. He picked it up as a 10-year-old, living in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, when a neighbour taught him the intricacies of creating a variety of beaded items, from purses and toys to jewellery.
“I did occasionally indulge in it when I was in college as a hobby,” said Mr Ravi, “but when it [honouring the UAE] came to me a few years ago, I toyed with a number of ideas and settled on one that was most respectful.”
The flag is more than three metres in both length and width, and the threads alone weigh well over half a kilogram. Mr Ravi spent Dh4,000 (US$1,090) on the flag and made 18 separate pieces before beading it all together.
Mr Ravi said virtually every moment of his recent leisure time has been devoted to the flag project. “For the last year, we didn’t go out anywhere, not to dinner or even on holidays.”
He dedication was not always appreciated by his son Agni, 10. “He told everyone that his dad is building a very big flag but he would ask my wife quite often about what I was doing all the time,” said Mr Ravi. “Why I wasn’t taking him out to play. I am sad about that part but some sacrifices had to be made.”
Damien Field, a spokesman for Guinness World Records, said: “We have recently opened a new record category for the largest 2D beadwork. Jeyaraman Ravi’s beaded flag will be monitored under this category. We look forward to seeing the beaded flag, and verifying the evidence, so that we can recognise it as a Guinness World Record.”
The nearest category currently recognised by the world records authority is known as “largest bead mosaic”, and the record holder, Reem al Gurg, is also from the UAE. It took her four months to make a 3.75 square metre mosaic containing 18,231 wooden beads.
Red tide closes two Dubai beaches
DUBAI - APR 07: Marine environment officers ordered the closure of two popular beaches yesterday as the “red tide” algal bloom spread along the coast.
While their counterparts in the capital were working on a detailed response should the bloom approach Abu Dhabi, Dubai Municipality told the media that the beaches near the Burj Al Arab and the Umm Suqeim park would be closed by about 3pm.
Mohammed Abdul Rahman Hassan, the head of Dubai’s Marine Environment and Wildlife Section, said: “The latest report we received in the afternoon showed that these beaches were subjected to the red tide and we have asked the coastal zone management section to close the beach areas.”
Warning signs and cordons would be erected, he said.
Mr Hassan said his section might also have to close other areas such as the Jumeirah beach park. “We do not know yet if the other beaches would be affected. However, if we see there is a problem then we will shut them down.”
Initial investigations off Dubai’s coast show that the algae is Cochlodinium polykrikoides, which has been plaguing Fujairah and Ras al Khaimah for months, destroying marine life, including hundreds of tonnes of fish off the east coast of Fujairah.
Divers and swimmers reported seeing patches of the bloom off several areas of the beach in Dubai on Sunday. Dead fish along some sections of the beach were also noted.
Despite the promised action, as darkness fell last night no signs had appeared and the beaches were still crowded.
“We read about it in the papers today but no one had told us not to use the beach.
“Besides, it all seems fine down here,” said Shikar Awasti, who was swimming at the Umm Suqeim beach yesterday evening.
Families playing on the shore near the Burj Al Arab said there was no indication that the beaches were closed. “If it is harmful, the municipality will close the area. As long as it is open, we can use it,” said Omar Mahboob, who was with his family.
The Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi said it was preparing measures to help “prevention and mitigation” of the algal bloom if it spread to the capital.
“So far, it has not entered Abu Dhabi but it is very close. It is something we need to watch closely,” said Thabit al Abdessalaam, director of biodiversity sector marine environment, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD).
Divers as well as environment officials have reported seeing clouds of red tide off the coast of Jebel Ali over the last few days. The bloom was spread over a radius of 40km in the area, the agency said.
“Our paramount concern is human safety as well as safety of the marine environment,” said Mr al Abdessalaam. However, he added that the bloom was dissipating and had receded yesterday. The presence of a DEWA desalination plant in the area was also acting as a barrier to the drift of the algae.
Officials from the EAD visited the spot and assisted the municipality with investigations on the bloom since it was spotted last weekend.
Speaking about the red tide seen along the coast of Jebel Ali, Mr al Abdessalaam said: “The red tide is pretty big and in terms of area coverage it is bigger than the one seen in Fujairah. However, it is already showing signs of dissipating.
“We are lucky that it stopped raining as this would have resulted in the growth of the algae. The weather conditions over the next few days is very important.”
In its toxic form the algae can cause breathing irritation, sore throat and itchy red eyes in swimmers. Eating seafood from the infected water can also be harmful.
Of the 20 species of algae common in UAE waters, nine are toxic.
Meanwhile, Dr Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, the Energy and Water Minister, yesterday chaired the UAE’s first co-ordination meeting on drafting a federal marine emergency plan, the state news agency WAM reported.
Two deny running brothel in Satwa
DUBAI - APR 07: Two Indian men charged with running a brothel in a Satwa apartment where they allegedly detained six Asian women and forced them to work as prostitutes, pleaded not guilty yesterday before the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance.
The defendants, SM, 38, and RK, 29, were arrested in January after police received an anonymous tip-off that several women were being held against their will in the flat and being forced to have sex for money.
Police raided the premises on the evening of Jan 27 at the time the person running the alleged brothel usually came to collect the day’s earnings. Officers said they found Dh20,000 (US$5,500) in cash in SM’s possession when they arrested him in his car.
They then entered the apartment and arrested RK, finding Dh1,120 in cash in his possession. They also found six women of Indonesian, Indian and Bangladeshi nationality in the apartment as well as several condoms and account books.
SM denied any connection with prostitution, claiming he only sub-let the flat to the women and had come to collect the rent. RK, however, allegedly admitted to police that he worked for SM, who he said ran the brothel along with several other Indian men.
Officers said RK told them his duties were confined to opening and closing the front door for customers, taking money from them and recording the transaction with the woman’s name and the amount paid in the account book.
“I also prevented the women from leaving the apartment or having any contact with the outside world,” RK’s statement said, adding that it was SM who brought the women to the apartment.
NH, 25, a Bangladeshi woman allegedly detained in the flat, told prosecutors that when she arrived, taken from the airport by a man whose nationality she did not know, she found a group of women already there.
NH said she had been told to work as a prostitute and that if she refused she would be imprisoned in the apartment and prevented from going back to her home country. She was afraid and agreed to the demand, adding that all doors to the apartment were kept locked.
The arresting officer said in his written statement to the court that the front door had six padlocks, four inside and two outside.
The case was adjourned until April 20 to allow time for the defence to prepare its case.
Parents will be punished for abuse
UAE - APR 07: Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, the Minister of Interior, said the Government was prepared to punish parents who abuse their children, after a young girl allegedly suffered severe injuries at the hands of her stepmother and father.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Interior yesterday, Sheikh Saif criticised the suggestion by the girl’s family that it had been necessary to discipline their daughter because she was stubborn.
He spoke out after Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, went to Al Mafraq Hospital with his daughter, Sheikha Shamma bin Mohammed, to visit the girl.
Police would not accept “under any circumstances” harm being done to children, Sheikh Saif said, adding that this was the clear message from Sheikh Mohammed’s visit.
As reported yesterday, police said the nine-year-old girl had been taken to Al Mafraq Hospital by her father, who lives in Bani Yas. She was bleeding and had suffered burns, bruises and knife cuts.
Sheikh Saif’s statement said the case demonstrated the importance of “family awareness and education” among couples who believed violence was acceptable when disciplining children.
Officials “strongly condemned” the abuse inflicted on the girl, which the ministry described as being contrary to Arab traditions and human values.
“The ministry stresses that it will deal strictly with any kind of breach of human rights in general and children’s rights in particular,” the statement said. “They have a right to live in dignity.”
Major Gen Mohammad al Awadhi, the acting director of policing for Abu Dhabi Police, said the case showed the importance of public awareness of the dangers of child abuse.
He called for institutions involved in social issues to redouble their efforts to educate parents on how to raise their children.
The father had initially claimed his daughter had fallen from her bicycle, something Gen al Menhali described as a “false justification”.
“The police were not convinced by these claims and they started investigating the matter and looking into the real causes of the incident,” Gen al Menhali said.
After being confronted with medical reports that suggested the child had been abused, the father admitted this had happened and blamed his wife, the girl’s stepmother.
“He didn’t deny that he knew all about what his wife used to do against the child,” the statement added.
The girl was said to have received affection only from her two half-brothers, with her father attempting to justify the alleged abuse by saying she needed to be strictly disciplined. His wife said the child was stubborn and did not do as she was told.
Specialists have been provided to care for the girl. They will study the family background to understand what happened, in the hope of preventing similar incidents in the future.
First Lt Zamzam al Maamari, who is helping provide support for the severely traumatised girl, said Sheikh Mohammed’s visit to her hospital bed had provided great comfort to her.
The abuse meted out on the girl, Lt al Maamari said, was alien to UAE society.