"Murder", "rape", "child molestation", "theft", "high-scale robbery" and "drug deal"... Expect to see such headlines more often in Dubai.
For a city that now plays host to over 1.5 million inhabitants, Dubai is quickly becoming just like any other major, metropolitan city, crippled with the problems of traffic congestion, inflation and off late, crime.
Measures are being taken, make no mistake about that. The real question is, are those measures being fairly implemented in society? Racial discrimination, religious and ethnic prejudice are common in Dubai, and many people are using such realities as safe haven for crime. Your average local drunk GCC national that runs down a bunch of civilians (at times in broad daylight) has a different future than say, a British, American, Indo-Pak or Far-Eastern culprit. The truth is, there is one set of rules for some people, and another set of rules for others. The moment things shape up there, the situation should start to improve. Never will Dubai be what it was like 10-15 years ago, for crime is inevitable in a city of so many, where the gap between the rich-poor is widening, where inflation is continuing to rise and where intolerance and differentation still exists to a great extent.
My only hope is that the situation doesn't spiral out of control, and that justice be served fairly.
HT123
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Monday, January 1, 2007
Abu Dhabi rising
For several years Abu Dhabi-ans have sat back and witnessed our neighbour boom while Abu Dhabi has been criticized for doing nothing to sustain long-term growth and push for further development. I think the wait is finally over.
The emirate of Abu Dhabi, being the largest land mass in the UAE, has enormous potential to invest in long-term, sustainable projects using the vast stock of funds from oil and foreign investment returns. With the emphasis on eco-friendly construction from natural islands such as Lu Lu, Al Reem, Yas and Saadiyat Islands (unlike the artificial Palm and The World), to the new Green Community, it seems Abu Dhabi is thinking bigger, better and more along the lines of long-term sustainability than Dubai. The beauty of it is, we (Abu Dhabi) have the financial security and backing to make sure we take the right steps and simply put: ‘get it right’, while learning from the flaws and problems Dubai is crippled with.
Abu Dhabi plans to spend more than $200 billion (AED 750 billion.. yes, billion.. 750 of them) over the next ten years alone, on various projects including 100 new hotels, several world-class hospitals, universities, museums and heritage parks.
36 major projects are on the way, including (naming a FEW):
** A 670-acre cultural district with sites designed by world-renowned architects including Frank Gehry (who designed the Guggenheim, in Spain). Even the Louvre will have an outpost in the district.
** A Ferrari theme park and driving school (Abu Dhabi owns 5% stake in Ferrari, through Mubadala) will be built on the prestigious Yas Island. The island will also have a racetrack winding its way around the island, water parks, a dozen hotels, polo fields, a golf course and a Formula One racing team.
**The Danet Abu Dhabi development will feature 36 mixed-use towers, 2 shopping malls, 2 mosques, a five-star hotel
**Shams Abu Dhabi is working on a canal-like system (similar to that in Venice, Italy), a central park (similar to that in New York City), and an 83-storey skyscraper to be built on Al Reem Island.
**Development projects are popping up around the world, oil exploration in Libya, telecom systems in Nigeria and a new mega-sea port.
**A unique “Green Community” will open in late 2009 and is a multi-billion dollar response to the global need for advanced energies and sustainability-related technologies, driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC). It will be the world’s first carbon-neutral, walled, car-free city housing wind farms, photovoltaic farms, research fields and plantations.
Long live Sheikh Zayed and his philosophy to preserve and further develop the culture, heritage and avoid all the pizzazz that has become synonymous with Dubai.
Abu Dhabi is on course to maintain their status of a lesser-commoditized, yet modern, exclusive niche that is predominantly culture-based and in doing so, “Abu Dhabi” will soon be on the lips of those who visit the Sorbonne, Guggenheim and the Louvre.
HT123
The emirate of Abu Dhabi, being the largest land mass in the UAE, has enormous potential to invest in long-term, sustainable projects using the vast stock of funds from oil and foreign investment returns. With the emphasis on eco-friendly construction from natural islands such as Lu Lu, Al Reem, Yas and Saadiyat Islands (unlike the artificial Palm and The World), to the new Green Community, it seems Abu Dhabi is thinking bigger, better and more along the lines of long-term sustainability than Dubai. The beauty of it is, we (Abu Dhabi) have the financial security and backing to make sure we take the right steps and simply put: ‘get it right’, while learning from the flaws and problems Dubai is crippled with.
Abu Dhabi plans to spend more than $200 billion (AED 750 billion.. yes, billion.. 750 of them) over the next ten years alone, on various projects including 100 new hotels, several world-class hospitals, universities, museums and heritage parks.
36 major projects are on the way, including (naming a FEW):
** A 670-acre cultural district with sites designed by world-renowned architects including Frank Gehry (who designed the Guggenheim, in Spain). Even the Louvre will have an outpost in the district.
** A Ferrari theme park and driving school (Abu Dhabi owns 5% stake in Ferrari, through Mubadala) will be built on the prestigious Yas Island. The island will also have a racetrack winding its way around the island, water parks, a dozen hotels, polo fields, a golf course and a Formula One racing team.
**The Danet Abu Dhabi development will feature 36 mixed-use towers, 2 shopping malls, 2 mosques, a five-star hotel
**Shams Abu Dhabi is working on a canal-like system (similar to that in Venice, Italy), a central park (similar to that in New York City), and an 83-storey skyscraper to be built on Al Reem Island.
**Development projects are popping up around the world, oil exploration in Libya, telecom systems in Nigeria and a new mega-sea port.
**A unique “Green Community” will open in late 2009 and is a multi-billion dollar response to the global need for advanced energies and sustainability-related technologies, driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC). It will be the world’s first carbon-neutral, walled, car-free city housing wind farms, photovoltaic farms, research fields and plantations.
Long live Sheikh Zayed and his philosophy to preserve and further develop the culture, heritage and avoid all the pizzazz that has become synonymous with Dubai.
Abu Dhabi is on course to maintain their status of a lesser-commoditized, yet modern, exclusive niche that is predominantly culture-based and in doing so, “Abu Dhabi” will soon be on the lips of those who visit the Sorbonne, Guggenheim and the Louvre.
HT123
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