Dubai, The City That Doesn't Care
This Ramadan a new promotion is taking place: "Dubai, The City That Doesn't Care."
The original City That Cares charity campaign, which raised money for children in Afghanistan and Palestine, was cancelled because it got in the way of non-altruistic, purely mercenary festivals:
"[A DCCI official] said the decision followed a study that showed the market would not respond to another commercial campaign sandwiched between the landmark Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), and the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) in December.
"We are trying to focus more on the commercial sides in future," the official said.
And what a super way to kick of "Dubai, The City That Doesn't Care" - by cutting off the water and electricity of thousands of "bachelors" in time for the holy month!
"We were told to go and search for rooms in Al Rashidiya and other areas but in vain. We don't know where are we going to live," he said.
"Most of us did not go to work because we don't have water even for drinking and toilet use. We are desperately searching for accommodation but without success. Flats are very expensive and beyond our price range," said Jamil Mohammad, who has been living in Abu Hail for the last 20-years.
Toil two decades of your life in the sandlands, and this is the reward you get.
The original City That Cares charity campaign, which raised money for children in Afghanistan and Palestine, was cancelled because it got in the way of non-altruistic, purely mercenary festivals:
"[A DCCI official] said the decision followed a study that showed the market would not respond to another commercial campaign sandwiched between the landmark Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), and the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) in December.
"We are trying to focus more on the commercial sides in future," the official said.
And what a super way to kick of "Dubai, The City That Doesn't Care" - by cutting off the water and electricity of thousands of "bachelors" in time for the holy month!
"We were told to go and search for rooms in Al Rashidiya and other areas but in vain. We don't know where are we going to live," he said.
"Most of us did not go to work because we don't have water even for drinking and toilet use. We are desperately searching for accommodation but without success. Flats are very expensive and beyond our price range," said Jamil Mohammad, who has been living in Abu Hail for the last 20-years.
Toil two decades of your life in the sandlands, and this is the reward you get.
66 Comments:
Bottom part of your post is absolutely disgraceful, and it's even more disgraceful how it is allowed to continue.
The way the UAE treats the Indians/Pakistanis/insert other nationality here is nothing short of an absolute disgrace. Horrendous living conditions and working hours, pathetic salaries.
But it's ok afterall, Westerner, Joe/Joan Expat states on many an occasion "It's alright, it's better than if they were at home."
Is it?
It all part of the Quit Dubai Campaing.They do have to clean up the city by the time the mega projects are completed dont they.I guess the only way they found to do that is make life hard for the poor.
[sarcasm]
The Government of Dubai is doing the right thing. Its high time we got rid of all these people. All they do is take up space. I don't want my million camel dollar villa to be surrounded by these slum dwelling people.
[/sarcasm]
Back in Dubai for 2 days and already, my stomach churns in disgust.
What really pisses me off about the whole thing is the incredible amount of hypocrisy - if you are going to be racist atleast have the balls to admit it.
And to all those asses who are going to quote the incredibly stupid "its better than back in their home country", up yours you miserable twits. How would you like it if you were being exploited like that?
Dubai has lost its charm. No more is it the cheap, cheerful expat haven. It has become a exploiting monstrosity of a city. Time to head home me thinks
I make a point to tell anyone who will listen about the the evils of Dubia and the Middle East in general.
I make sure to recommend other holiday destinations and I tell my colleagues not to take positions out here.
If more people would do the same maybe Dubai would have to change.
Article
-DD
Earthbound Misfit....you are 100% correct. Dubai is nothing more than a paycheck to me anymore...I moved my family out of here years ago and now send the check home. The bosses here are richer than God and I refuse to give them anymore of my money. Rents spiral as does all consumer goods.
I, like many others, have had enough...Time to go.
I also read the article in this mornings paper & was horrified. What pisses on my battery tho is that the landlord knew what was gonna happen, but still collected the rent money - bastard! Nothing will happen to him tho will it............unless perhaps he accidentally gets run over by a taxi.............ahem.....
SD you used to be cleverly satirical in discussing the follies and fables of this teenager of a country. Now you've become another jaded bitter expat, pissing and moaning about the same damn issues. You're like the "anti-" Dubai press release.
Cue the knee-jerk "OMG if u don't like it go away LoL" team...
Anonymous @ 11:52
Thanks for the link, nice.
:D
Oh come on..this is the same country where you live 25-odd years and still don't have any rights...oh wait, i forget that rights is yet another word blackened in the local school books here - along with sex, israel and vagina.
It's great to tell ppl that if you don't like the policies then pack up and go home, but what of the Gen Ys who have been born and raised here for nearly 30 years. This is the only home they know...
Botom line: Shape up or ship out
Gone are the days when money and survival in dubai use to be made through hard work ., Ladies and gentleman , wellcome to the new dubai where money is still made but it will be made not by brawns, rather it will be made by brains , demonic,devilish and sheer clever brains . Dubai will indirectly become the most expensive city in the world
This is the free market at work - and how efficient it is! A sign that Dubai's commercial model is about to break down? Imagine this, thousands of villas and expensive apartments being built now will require maids and handymen and engineers who, themselves, will have nowhere to live. You are right - the city that cares, very little. Hearty
A lot of people here are complaining and leaving comments about quiting Dubai. The way I see it, if you are not part of the solution then you are a part of the problem. So to all of you go ahead and fucking leave. Go back to your perfect countries with perfect laws and perfect lifestyle.
However if the UAE's pay, lifestyle and weather is just to good for you to turn your back on, then while you are here, how about doing something positive and helping those less off than you.
Fucking worthless armchair critics.
The way I see it, if you are not part of the solution then you are a part of the problem.
Do they give us any opportunity to become part of the solution?
No.
If I were you, I'd making excuses about expats "whingeing" and take a long, hard look at your own country. Just because we come and work here doesn't mean we have to stfu up about the shit we see going on here.
(And yes - there's shit in our own countries too, and if we lived there we'd be blogging about that too, don't worry. And we'd be a lot MORE critical, because we wouldn't be hampered by your fucking third-world-dictatorial repressive media laws).
Ever thought about the number of expats leaving compared to the number of expats coming in.
LOL Yahya, I knew someone was going to explode in this hypocrisy.
Rummyjohn, Great post. I lived in Dubai for 15 years and thankfully moved back to my home country few years ago. Did not want my kids growing up in modern Dubai and the closed mindset. This is a great blog to keep in touch with what is really happening..lol..not the censored stuff that I used to read in the Gulf News and Khaleej Times for years! And it looks like things are getting worse for expats.
AUH, there are many reasons why these fuck1ng families want bachelors out. Many of them are lucky enough to find work in companies which provide accomodation for their un-planned family and and an oversized car to fill the rest of the zoolanders when on the move. Many of these rotten bastards with such views cannot even string a proper sentence in English, though they somehow find their views published to their surprise.
They came here as bachelors in their golden years, when they remitted 80% of their ill-gotten income and still lived in moderate luxury. After years of climbing the third grade corporate ladder with fat paychecks and Kitchen English to boot, how could they remember what they've been through?
But they will find it hard if their opinions do find ground and are finally implemented. They aren't going to get people to fill up their job at the workplace. I bet they don't ever think that far.
I love how ppl blame the Dubai and "teh Government" for everything that they don't like.
If you stop blaming the first thing that pops into your head and think about the bigger issues at hand, you'd realize that a lot of what happens is beyond the government's control, or anyone elses for that matter. To wit:
The price of Oil shoots up, which means the UAE gets richer, which means people spend more, which causes inflation, which means shit is more expensive.
It's simple economics people.
Of course, if the government wises up, they'll funnel more money into making sure the "bachelors" comfortable, because they are the ones hit hardest by inflation.
Well said RummyJhon!
@Ahmed and Yahya
You sound familiar. Oh yes you remind me those discriminating Arab morons, I used to work with, before I escape to North America. The irony is these are the very people who cries Over western discrimination against Arabs, They think, they are the saviors of the world, God’s chosen people. Want hear how we see you? How about bunch of #*!$%? Just imagine where the world would be, if they had the power of their rivals? Perhaps what happening right now could be the consequences of curse of their own sins against humanity? Just wait & see! Let’s say History repeats.
I’ll make sure to spread the word here. If any decent Arabs/Muslims offended, my apologies.
The way I see it, if you are not part of the solution then you are a part of the problem. So to all of you go ahead and fucking leave. Go back to your perfect countries with perfect laws and perfect lifestyle.
Funny, I did just that. Last week, in fact. You can read what I disliked about Dubai here.
Discrimination, exploitation is everywhere. Even in the most developed, politically correct countries, it is happening at least under the table.So what makes Dubai and rest of the Arab world any different?
The answer is INSTITUTIONALIZED discrimination/exploitation, as RJ said.
As we know, in other part of the world, you can voice your opinion, complain, sue etc, etc. There are designated organizations (Independent/Government) who take it seriously.
Even if you are a anti-social/Outlaw, still your voice is counted.
So UAE is truly blessed in that sense! Wars has being fought, lives has being sacrificed for “Freedom” , throughout the history. Yet the definition of “Freedom”, could be different for those who are fortunate enough to live in UAE.
At least the so called 'whingeing expats' are trying to bring some attention to these issues, in their inimitable, uppercrust - and sadly, impotent - coffee-morning way. For which I thank people like SD who have showed us a little light - even if that may be snuffed out soon.
Those bachelors won't have the time - or more realisticially can't afford the time in a net cafe - to 'blog' about their almost hopeless situation.
And that's how the powers-that-be would like things to continue, just as they *always were* with the weak brown people stfu and taking it.
And as for us GenY folk who have nowhere to go to, well that's just tough. Maybe we should exile the locals to Uzbekistan and tell them to start a new life there, which is the equivalent of their proposition that we get packing.
For those people who say Expats are enjoying their dubai subsidized lifestyle, all I can say is, you are seeing the wrong fucking expats, man. The vast majority of this infernal country lives hand to fucking mouth and I know this because I see them outside my window every day, sleeping in doorways and going door-to-door looking for a patch of floor to lie on.
And this is all so fucking pointless because only a handful of men could change it, and all the collective hands tugging at their pockets will never let them do so.
@ Secret Dubai, that comment wasnt aimed at you personally, but I had a feeling you'd take it as an attack on you. As far as I am concerned you are one of the few people who complain about life here but actually make an effort to do something, by means of this informative blog.
But I stand by my words "fuck off", for every other winging expat who posts comments on this page. The reality of the situation is , if you are not doing something here in Dubai, except to line your own pockets, then you are indirectly endorsing the wrong things that occur here. That makes you a hypocrite when you complain. This goes to Locals and other nationals aswell. I know of many Locals, Q8ties, Saudies and Syrians here who are doing things to help in their own ways and are making a concerted effort... that is alot more than just sitting in front of a computer screen and complaining.
And what are you doing to help the downtrodden Yahya???
- DD
When you run a company in Bur Dubai like mine, there's precious little you can do. My employees are regularly turfed out like the ones in the article - even they are well behaved and pay the rent on time - simply for the crime of being single.
Of course the irony is, none of my employees are single. But none of them can afford to bring their families down here. Meanwhile, the best I can do is pay whatever they need to pay the rent, on top of their salary.
But the noose is slowly tightening.
Its only in a place like Dubai that you can lived your entire life( 20+ years) and still be treated like a 'guest'. Allow me to rephrase that: AN ALIEN.
Me and my friends don't consider any other place to be home and yet legally most of us have at sometime or another been on visit visas for a substantial period of time.
People think that locals are only the ones wearing the Qandoora. But we, who have lived here our whole lives, are locals too. I have contributed to shaping and moulding Dubai's culture as much as, if not more than, the locals.
Any other country in the world and I would be a citizen. Please don't tell me to pack my shit and leave! I can't because I feel more of a 'guest' in my 'homeland' than I do at home.
I believe I have as should have as much say in running this country as any of the locals.
I work and contribute to the economy, the society and the culture here, so why are my interests not catered to. So what if I am an expat. At the moment the UAE is benefitting from my presence (as much as I benefit from staying here).
So why these racist rules for expats??
And finally a call to all expats and supporters of SD.
Let your friends and family back home know the truth about Dubai. Discourage tourists and investors.
For a country that depends on outside investment and people (name the industry and you will find it depends on expats and outside investment), they sure are arrogant and racist.
Lets turn the tide....
- Haytham
In the end we are all talking to each other. It is avoiding the issue when Yahya notes that we should all pack up and leave. He believes that we are all in Dubai - we are not. Some of us have been there and left! We helped it but we did not like some elements, mostly the fact that the marginal economic benefits have vanished. Most goods on offer in shops cost the same in the UK, and in the UK there is tax on the goods. In the UK, a muslim person from the UAE can work for several years and gain a UK passport. We treat all equally under the law. In the UAE, someone can be born there and live there whole life there and never ever be allowed a decision-making role in society (only in very few circumstances is this allowed) and at any moment they can be kicked out of the UAE, eg. an article in today's papers about hiv sufferers, or other articles recently if there is a disagreement with one's sponsor. Dubai is an economic story only and it is a model that requires re-assessing. It is not a city that cares, it is "mammon" writ large. Hearty
This Dubai hate flow is amazing :D
It is really sad that a holy month needs to be commerclized to gain attention.
Regarding the bachelors, I really feel sorry for them but then again they shouldnt live in a family oriented area especially that they have been warned 6 months ago about it.
look at the bright sides guys
You are officially temporary workers according to the ministry of laborer and international laborer organizations and the UN recently.
I dont really think that these things are related.
"The City" is made up by the poeple living there, so you wanna say that we all dont care?
This would include you as well?
I dont agree with your opinion, even though i understand that your disappointed with your own situation right now. But please dont make "The City" responsible for this...
http://www.dubaiinformer.com
Hey Proud Emirati,
Why can't bachelors live where they want? What makes them worse than others?
Nice stereotyping you have going here...
How about we in the west start setting up certain fenced in areas for all muslims (you know, cos you all are terrorists)? Don't like the sound of that do u?
Thats exactly what you are doing to a whole segment of society..
@ Dubai informer.
Your post doesn't make sense at all.
Tim Newman has left Dubai?? That's the best thing that has ever happened to the sandlands!
No wonder Dubai smells better now!
There is this other junky person I know who should be kicked out of Dubai. He is short, tiny, and drives a Wrangler! Living big and complaining about Emaratis always harrassing him. Oh, did I mention he was a filipino?
Hehe recognize me, shorty? :-D
@ anonymous, u have one skewed logic.
The reason why bachelors shouldnt live in family oriented areas is the same reason why families shouldnt live in labour camps.
Firstly i agree with you Marvaan , you are very correct , iam in the same situation , i have very decent staff but they also cannot afford to keep their families here when their rent has been raised by 200 percent . so what do they do , where do they go , here in the whole gold souq region there is no other place available .In the whole gold souq region, they sleep in bunk beds with one person sleeping at the floor level right under the first bed. there are 10 people sleeping in 1 room . Also i would like to thank alien @dubai for his posting . I am also born and brought up here in dubai and my parents have been here in dubai for 55 years now . he and all the expats from his generation have created and sustained the famous gold souq of dubai which is now considered the landmark and top touristic destination . and still after giving so much to this country and staying the whole 55 years here ,and after paying millions of dirhams in rent all these years , he is still called temporary worker by labour minister .
@ another proud emirati:
And you are a close minded racist/classist.
You imply that just cos these are single men they are a nuisance to your wonderful families. Have you noticed that it is your countrymen that harrass the women on the streets and make a nuisance of themselves all over the place.
I know many families that are absolutely messed up.
- DD
This is the beginning of the end. The men in blue from those poor Asian countries will go back to their paddy fields or some will head to running BPO business. :-)
All those men in blue will be flushed out, leaving only the rich and the nouveau riche living in the Palms and Burjs and whatnots to live in luxury... But then, wait a minute, who will wear the blue uniform and keep the city clean?
Your last comment was unfair. Have you seen some of the pakistani immigrants who have gone to the UK ?
Many of them have worked hard but have little to show for it. They live in ghettos.
Do you expect every government to give an automatic handout once every 20 years ?
Lassiez Faire.
And all these complaints about the Rent are an absolute crock of shit, you people havent you people studied bloody economics ? Supply and Demand. Economics has teh Mercy of an Iceberg.
Emirati,
You are comparing Apples and Oranges.
Firstly, the Pakistani immigrants stay in low income housing (subsidised by the govt). Most of their economic woes are due to the fact that they are uneducated and that they tend to have a lot of kids.
Secondly, The govt there does not forcefully evict people from areas just cos they are bachelors/sub cons/idiots etc etc.
In the UAE's case the gov't forcefully evicts people just because they are bachelors. And for what?? To protect the so called moral fabric of families....
You say Laissez Faire - but looks like your gov't does not practice laissez faire but does all in its power to destroy the lives of these poor people.
And please don't quote "supply and demand". Supply and demand has nothing to do with the rent market as the rents are regulated by the powers that be. The high rents are in their interest as they own all the property and by keeping the rents high they hope to get people to buy all that excess property coming onto the market in the next few days.
This is not a free market Emirati. There is an illusion of a free market but in actuality it isn't.
- Bob
Anyone wondering why the traffic's so bad this week?
Perhaps something to do with the 40,000 cars Honda sold in August.
To all the Dubai-Newbies; there is no pot of gold and there's rarely a rainbow.
Anonymous @ 20 September, 2006 19:20
This has something to do with the freemarket economy ,(which is good), and the fact that its easy to get credit there now,(which is good again).
The majority get a driving licence and can afford to get a set of wheels. Now that is good but the roads need to be able to accomodate the pressure.
In other news, kudos to the UAE government for allowing people to buy,(get credit), boo cause the roads do not exist.
Well, there is not much to say about U… I think that the fact that I have added you as a link to my http://my-pillow-book.blogspot.com/ in my cool links under the description “local news indeed”, describes my joy for your existence. Good work…
Emirati...
I absolutely agree with you... the rent issue is definitely rooted in economics... demand and supply.
Unfortunately, you stop asking why at the first answer...
1. Why are the rents so high?
Because demand is greater than supply causing an increase in price.
2. Why is demand so high?
Because oil rising prices increase liquidity; regional instability causes capital flight from places like Saudi and Iran to stable places like Dubai and Qatar; credit is easier due to real estate collateral; financing costs are lower than capital yield; money laundering regulations are limited allowing questionable sources to invest in Dubai; investment opportunities are limited to the stock market and real estate (both have witnessed an unprecedented rise in prices).
3. Why is supply so low?
Because the business cycle of a real estate developer is approx 3yrs long leading to peaks and troughs in supply; rental yield is less than capital yield - i.e. if you keep an apartment empty it makes you more money due to increasing prices than if you rent it out; rentals last for at least a year which restricts flexibilty to buy/sell the asset if rented.
4. Why are rents so high?
Demand for middle to low income housing grows steadily (re natural population growth) while additional supply caters to investors only thereby creating demand bubbles that push up the severely limited mid tier accomodation rental; investors directly pass on financing costs of approx 10% p.a. to tenants; market rate for rental accomodation follows market purchase price.
So my friend... a little knowledge is a dangerous thing...
Keep studying.
Chox
P.S. Dubai isn't a Muslim city - it's a commerical city.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Sorry Anon - but due to the very censorship reasons that you mentioned, I had to censor your comment myself :(
Here's what I can keep from it:
Anonymous said...
"Whining expats go home" - Listen shitwad, this country was built by expats and you [ ] still dont have enough brains to takeover what the expats built and run it yourself. If expats go home, you go down the fucking sewer.
"Bachelors must move out" - Why? The wouldn't have [attacked your women]. How come you [people] like to hire bachelors since you dont have to provide family accomodation or other benefits and then fucking crib about their single status?
"Part of problem/solution" - Can any expat do anything about this place? You fucking strangle the media, the internet, the top jobs, everything. And you [guys] in top jobs dont know the difference between a board meeting and a blow job. [ ]
"Economics" - my ass. You fucking morons won't know economics. This is cartelonomics. You [people] get together and gang up on expats and bleed them dry.
And you [ ] want the west to stop discrimination. You pathetic hypocritic morons.
Hooray for Anon@15:05.
Fucking A.
Anon @ 1505
You hit it straight on the head. Greedy mindless idiots spewing the same stupie justifications that their rulers keep deluding themselves with. No wonder they cant actually put themselves in the shoes of the people who shine them..
hey awesome interesting links:
http://www.ansarburney.org/news/cj/cj21.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5346430.stm
Blah Blah Blah. The Government has more important things to care about than the Conspiracies and cartels you screaming expassholes tend to make up. The rent problem will eventually be solved by the eventual decline in the real estate industry. Later on this man can move to a better apartment.
What you people fail to see that the UAE government is in no way responsible towards any of you, asides from giving you protection, in some cases education, subsidized water and subsidized Electricity and not making you pay taxes.
You come to the UAE. You are given money handouts by the UAE. However, we give you the opportunity to keep yourselves busy by giving you things we call jobs. Last time I was in the west I was charged taxes. Here's an idea, we should be making you people pay taxes.
Why should we, the Emiratis, share anything with you expats ? I would like to know when was the last time an expat organization spent money to assist Emirati people in the Ghettos ?
I am sorry for this man, but this happens all over the world. You think people in the wonderful magical rainbow wizard of oz west dont live like this ?
Whatever you will say about the expats building this place, it was for money, not out of the kindness of their heart you emotional shit for brains fuck.
Modern day slavery ? Dont make me laugh motherfuckers. The construction workers bribe subcon recruitment agents, get themselves in debt and then ask why doesnt the UAE invade India and sort this shit out ? Any worker who legitimately comes here who doesnt like his job, can get out, or can go find another job and transfer his visa.
I dont owe the expats shit. I dont owe any expat fucking shit. They may owe my government some tax money though.
you fucking expats were hired to do shitty work in this country and not to moan and whine on this blog. So do your job as you're told to do or else get your fucking ass out of here.
you fucking morons!!!
Free market? Supply and demand? What a load of bollocks.
Only when anyone and anybody is allowed to buy land, apply for planning permission, and build a house can a property market be described as free.
At present, a handful of individuals have a stranglehold on all property that can be built, and hence rental rates can be set at an agreed level with no danger of a rogue element of the market undercutting the rest by providing low-cost housing.
Were the short-sighted individuals who regulate the Dubai property market to open it up in the manner of western markets, the priviledged individuals in question (who, coincidentally, are the same as those individuals regulating the market) would be out of business within half a year as proper development companies provide proper low-cost housing along the lines of Russian apartment blocks and university halls of residents, i.e. just the type of housing so desperately needed, and abandon these penis-extension projects which provide only "luxurious" apartments which nobody actually wants.
Which is of course the precise reason why they won't lift the regulations. Long term, the only people this will harm is the citizens of Dubai as they end up paying for enormous white elephants which they cannot sell, with business and commerce having moved onto a city which doesn't manipulate the markets in such a manner.
Well - there's been rather a lot of swearing all around. I suppose we should all be ashamed, but to be honest, I really like swearing. It doesn't damage anyone (except Victorian maidens with gossamer ears, allegedly) and I have pretty much no other vices.
Non-smokers should be given carte blanche to swear, to relieve our stresses.
The words of the pro-Dubai idiots just confirms to me the "My parents are related therefore I am stupid" theory. Vital brain development is obviously missed during these transactions.
If this is how the guests are treated,and so many people are unhappy, doesn't say much for the hosts.
Oh and by the way, quote from Emirati: "You are given money handouts by the UAE". Did I miss something here? Please inform us where we have to go in order to receive this? Let me know as soon as possible, so I can leave as early as possible in order to beat the traffic.
LOL @ Emirati.
"Protection"? I was picked up by the cops 'walking' home at 2AM. While two prossies stood right next to the cop car.
"Education"? Have I gone to an government school? Oh wait, sorry, had to go the school for the 'brown' people.
"Money handouts"? Does that indicate the nice flowchart where you give money to us and then we hand it back to you in rent and sponsorhip fees? Or is that a little bit more one sided, hmm?
This is particularly amusing since I got a call from my local as I was writing this, asking for 15k additional 'sponsorship fees' so she can go to Switzerland for the winter. Handouts, indeed. You got it right, just in the wrong direction.
"No taxes"? Oh, of course. No arguing with that there.
I didn't "come to the UAE", FYI. I was born here, no choice in the matter. Just like you. Except one of us has clearly made out better than the other.
"Why should we, the Emiratis, share anything with you expats?" Er, because we toiled in the sand and built your country? Because I was born here and contributed significantly to the economy? Because any other reasonable country would have made me a citizen instantly on birth, but here I'm an expendable cockroach?
"I would like to know when was the last time an expat organization spent money to assist Emirati people in the Ghettos ?" Oh silly, how will those expats set up organisations when they are struggling to get out of poverty! I can just imagine all those officeboys sipping Lexus after hours at Al Ahli club, and charting out plans to save the ghettos of Al Ain.
Or maybe you might consider that there are a fuckload more poor people in the UAE than just Emiratis and they ALL deserve help.
"...they happens all over the world." Umm, no. No one, not the police can evict me without proper cause in Australia. And by the way, setting up the strawman of the West for EVERY FUCKING THING doesn't qualify as responding to the debate.
"...it was for money, not out of the kindness of their heart..." Yeah, because everything in the world exists out of the kindness of people. Here's a thought - people *emigrate* 'not guest stay' to another country to have a BETTER LIFE. They would like to earn some money as well, while they wait in perpetuity for the freebie cheques the gubment is supposed sending out. But no, I suppose it's easier for you to regard them like mongol hordes at your door, baying for your blood.
"Any worker who legitimately comes here who doesnt like his job, can get out, or can go find another job and transfer his visa." Maybe in the Matrix. Maybe in the new world Dubai is building where everyone looks like they work in the City of London.
But in the real world, lesser staff such as the guys living in these accomodations aren't worth the expense to most companies. The gubment taxes - sorry, fees - for transfer/new visa are ridiculously high. Not to mention, last minute spanners like locals charging for 'signatures'. Which aren't taxes, no, no. That's free enterprise at work. Supply and demand.
"I dont owe the expats shit. I dont owe any expat fucking shit. They may owe my government some tax money though." Dude, I am so with you there! Because I'm a local too, born and bred here! (Just haven't received my passport yet. Or that handout they keep promising to send.) So c'mon kids, let's bleed these motherfuckers dry!
PS: It's true. Obscenities are the last refuge of the inarticulate.
Dubai has rendered me so.
Marwan,
I am a proponent of naturalizing families who have been here for a long time.
But you must understand something. We are in a very different situation to every country in the world. Expats are 80% of the population. Meaning that if we share, we have alot to lose. When Britan opens up its country to the Pakistanis, and gives 127 million people British citizenship, perhaps then the UAE will be rich enough to do the same. The EU does not want turkey in for a similar reason. Otherwise any naturalization comparison with
In the UAE, you can come look for a job and find one with a tourist visa. Something you cannot do almost anywhere else in the world.
In Canada if you want to employ an expat there is a very large bearaucracy you will have to cut through, where you have to prove that you cant hire a canadian for the job.
The UAE provides people with opportunity and jobs. If it didnt, they wouldnt be here. The UAE owes nothing to those who are paid for their jobs.
Tim,
My expectation is that this real estate crash will make it absolutely nessecary to decrease rent prices as whole apartments go empty or are rented out by their owners.
That reminds me about the smart city being built in India by Dubai Internet City.
They are having a problem with the deal because the Indian authority want DIC to insure employing 50,000 employees and labourers. I dont expect them to be Emiratis.
When that applies here and when the UAE government reserve as low as 2% for commercial companies annully expats complain.
That is what I call pathetic.
^^ I was refering to Emiritizing 2% annually
Emirati,
It's good to see that you want to naturalise. I think it's also important for you to see that while locals will lose individual wealth, they also gain invaluable human resources. A whole generation of young , talented expats who could have been the next scientists, actors and engineers, have already left. The current situation where a good proportion of nationals (obviously not all, which would be ridiculous in any case) are impossibly wealthy cannot be sustained indefinitely. If no other country on Earth has done it, there's no reason to think this one will fare any better. On the other hand, bringing the standard of living up for every resident will ensure this country has some kind of future in a hundred years.
As for Britain, well, it may be difficult to gain access (and based on recent events, I can't blame that) but at the very least there is *some* means of achieving citizenship. There isn't even the hint of that here. So let's start with that.
The UAE doesn't allow anyone to work under a tourist visa. They turn a blind eye to it because it's a handy source of revenue and because they have nowhere near enough inspectors to catch all the illegal workers.
But it's most definitely illegal and working on such a visa has a very real risk of deportation.
If you want a legal wage, you have to dive into the same bureacracy as your example, Canada. Unlike Canada, even if say every local was qualified for the job, there'd never be anywhere *near* enough to fill all the positions. Which is why again, locals need to naturalise to bring pop numbers up to workable levels. Otherwise, enjoy tussling for the rest of your lives - and your children lives - with those spiteful, ungrateful expats. It seems an easier battle for the local, than doing what's right.
PS: You're correct, the UAE owes nothing to people who are paid for the jobs. I'm proud to say I have paid my employees correctly and without delay for the last eight years.
Pity that the powerful construction mafia doesn't see that way. And subsequently, every other company follows their example, till we reach our presently precipitous situation.
frustrated Emirati said...
That reminds me about the smart city being built in India by Dubai Internet City.
They are having a problem with the deal because the Indian authority want DIC to insure employing 50,000 employees and labourers. I dont expect them to be Emiratis.
HO HO HO!
1) DIC wanted some 300 acres of prime land in the city of Kochi (Fertile land, plenty of water - and Green!) at 12% of the market value. Well, the earlier demand was they needed 100 acres for free - for 99 years!
2) DIC put a pre-condition while negotiating with a corrupt right-wing government that the current Infopark (Techno-park) has to be shut down to accommodate DIC's smart city.
3)India is not a tax haven like Dubai or Malta... any company setting up a shop in the proposed smart city will have to pay tax. Unless all the invoicing facilities are provided in a DIC office...
4) There is a good chance, an excellent chance that the smart city will not happen in Kochi. India need not learn from Indians exmployed by DIC on how to develop software or run IT companies. Let the whole of Middle East put together create a company like Infosys or a WIPRO - then we will probably learn from you dudes who to write a few codes etc.
5) Dubai's expertise is in developing real estate projects like Knowledge Village, Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City... it is a long list.
6) Read the latest on Smart City
The Kerala government has made it very clear that DIC will have to pay for the land (lease) [nothing free]
The new Government also came down heavily on DIC - who wanted exclusivity (protection from competition)
Isn't competition a good thing in the capitalist scheme of things? Why is then DIC demanding for protection in a booming economy like India? Maybe DIC thought it could bully the Kerala state government and reverse the process of Globalisation to make more profits.
The corrupt right wing goverment was drubbed in the recent elections. The new left government is not angels either...
No one asked DIC to open up a charity in Kochi. Smart City is a business enterprise, probably being set up to work as back-end for DIC. If the Kerala government's demand of employing 90,000 people in ten years cannot be met - DIC should pull out.
No deal.
The original post is about Ramadan and "cutting off the water and electricity of thousands of 'bachelors' in time for the holy month!"
I really don't know whether God asked men with lots of money to illtreat poor people.
I thought Ramadan month teaches muslims and non-muslims good values in life - a life of caring and sharing.
For Emirati to say something like this --
I dont owe the expats shit. I dont owe any expat fucking shit.
-- is such a disgrace.
It is also true that Expats are also God's children. In God's eyes there are no expats and locals.
I came to this country some 14 years ago as a bachelor in search of a better life. Few years later I got married and have kids now. My family was here with me until the rents started sky rocketing. Every thing has changed since then, the education of the children, the cost of living in this country has gone out of reach of person like me. Inevitably, I was forced to send my family back home thanks to rents and the price hike.
Although i'm married but once again living in this country of bachelors as single. Whom shall I blame?
Ayub: Great reply to frustarted Emirati. India does not need DIC to develop its IT industry!! DIC is coming to India to make a buck just like Emaar has. LOL, Emirati you guys live in a 5 star sand pit, nothing more. Get some real skills and quality local human resources first. You locals are nothing but pirates in reality. Emirati,locals and the goverrment are just ripping off the expats and foreigners!
re the pakistanis in britain:
these people in the UK are suicide bombers and people who kill innocent people for some thing that's happening in the so called "palestine"
if i were the government of the UK i'd round them all up and throw grenades in their midst for that's what they deserve.
they do nothing productive, they live on dole and they're worthless animals
historically societies suffered when sections of it were marginalized or downtrodden.
I have read almost all posts but what I found particularly to be true is what rummyjohn said: "historically societies suffered when sections of it were marginalized or downtrodden" There is a lesson for many here in that, I strongly believe
Post a Comment
<< Home