Poll shows 50% believe international media is accurate about UAE

Posted by: Doug Monday, 13 April 2009 9:16 AM[UAE]

M. Khan - which Britain do you live in? Obviously a lot has changed in the year that I've been away from it, where the richest man was an Asian (Lakshmi Mittal), where some of the most successful businessmen are Muslims (Mohammed Al Fayed), where the member of parliament and the mayor of my city were both Asian, where the vast majority of doctors were from Pakistan and Bangladesh. Indeed, it's a very different place from Dubai, where of course if you are an Asian, you're automatically assumed to be a construction worker. And your point is hardly a valid defence but it appears to be very typical of the common defence used in Dubai. A journalist from another country points out some flaws in Dubai, and instead of addressing those flaws, people in Dubai just bleat on about 'racism' and then try to portray the journalist's country of origin as 'racist' - forgetting that you don't need to be perfect to spot other people's flaws.

Posted by: M. Khan Monday, 13 April 2009 2:28 AM[UAE] - UK

Its true what they show that labourers acommodation and wages are not appropriate but before BBC show this human rights cases on other country i suggest them to show some truth of their country of origin too.... where asian (muslims) are not given the same job opportunites as it is given to non muslims... and also show how much racism is going on in the UK.... i request Arabian Business magazine to post these feedbacks...

Posted by: Jihad Sunday, 12 April 2009 10:20 PM[UAE]

YES this is 100% true the way the construction industry here operates is pathetic , Everything you here about employess rights and safety and health regulations is just for propoganda.Very few companies are professional the bulk is about making money nobody cares about the camps nor the way thet are run. If you tour labour camps you will seee it by yourself.I hope that the goverenment takes tough meaures and makes routine check ups for all camps. I wonder if Mr. Kamal has stepped a foot in Arabtec camps,or I do not know wether he is really in touch with what is really going on there. Most of the time they get info from people who themselves are not in touch with reality......nobody really goes to experience this by himself.

Posted by: paul Sunday, 12 April 2009 11:54 AM[UAE] - UAE

What the UAE should learn from this, is the power of a free local media. Taiwan had a similar scandal involving foreign labour mistreatment a few years ago. The reason you probably heard little about it was because the scandal was uncovered by the local media, and after public and government outrage, the business leaders responsible went to jail. It was an internal matter that was dealt with locally in a satisfactory manner. I really hope that rather than a whitewash, what comes out of this is a genuine desire from the top to encourage the UAE media to go out and expose these kinds of stories themselves. Otherwise, UAE residents will just turn increasingly to foreign media organizations to find out what is really happening here, and the UAE media will very quickly become irrelevant.

Posted by: Dilip Paranjape Sunday, 12 April 2009 9:12 AM[UAE] - UAE

I have read the reports seen numerus programmes of labours and their problem. I am myself involved in Labour welfare activity yer I am Welfare coordinator in my company. I have following basic questions in mind. 1. who is called innocent? 1.1 A person who pays a ranson of 100,000 in his currency in his country of origin? 1.2 A person who's salary is may be 6000 or 700 dhs. and purchases a mobile of 1000 - 1500 dhs. mobile phone within a month of his arrival in dubai? 1.3 A person start spending on mobile bills more than half of his salary? 1.4 A person without hard work or any collective efforts expects the benefit as soon as he arrives in UAE? 1.5 A person who puts him self in habit of alcoholisum and any other non productive habits? The list is very big would like to write in details about this subject.