Opinion 2010
Koodalmanikyam Manikyan – My Creatives – Malayala Manorama Dt. 26.04.2010
My Creatives – Koodalmanikyam Manikyan – Malayala Manorama Dt. 26.04.2010
Indian president arrives on first state visit to UAE – My Comments – THE NATIONAL – Dt 22 Nov 2010
My Comments – THE NATIONAL – Dt 22 Nov 2010 – Indian president arrives on first state visit to UAE
Dear Sirs,
To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL online.
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 25.12.2010 – Pleasant Journey
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 25.12.2010 – Pleasant Journey
Short Take: Pleasant journey
December 25, 2010
WE have reached almost the end of 2010. It was an eventful year considering the economic situation and progress made with limited resources. Those who held on to their hopes and dreams and progressed even an inch have to really congratulate themselves. It requires lot of determination and self-motivation. I salute all those who did it.
I was at a HSE campaign recently. We were segregating waste materials and each one had his own task to do. I was observing a little boy and his father. The boy was very particular in not mixing plastic with paper. He was saying, “Dad, if we mix it, it is not good for the environment. It has to be properly recycled. That’s what my teacher has told us in our class.” I was happy to hear him promoting HSE in his own small way.
Christmas and New Year have brought lot of visitors to the UAE this year. It is a promising sign to see the tourism industry and the business in this region flourishing. It brings hope to all that the economy will revive in 2011 and all those who suffered in some way or other due to the impact of recession will have reasons to smile in the new year and days ahead.
It has been an enjoyable journey for me with Short Take. Each week I had a set objective to look forward to, identify a small happening around and describe it in a friendly way for the benefit of those who love to read.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
My Letters – GULF NEWS Dt. 24.12.2010 – Baggage allowance
My Letters – GULF NEWS Dt. 24.12.2010 – Baggage allowance
Baggage allowance
Congratulations to Etihad Airways for being named the world’s leading airline for the second consecutive year at a travel industry event.
Etihad Airways now flies to many destinations from Abu Dhabi. Several new destinations, including those in South India, are being added in the near future.
A unified and standard 40 kilogram baggage allowance to all Indian destinations is a common wish-list among the passengers from Abu Dhabi. To travel by [Etihad] will then be a privilege for all to fly from Abu Dhabi, by the capital’s own airlines, from its state-of-the-art airport facilities.
I request Etihad Airways to kindly consider more baggage options on their flights to all Indian destinations alike.
It will also be a good idea for the airlines to partner with major electronic companies and shopping malls and provide special baggage vouchers on transportation of electronic appliances such as television.
This scheme will give a much required boost to revive the consumer sector.
From Mr Ramesh Menon
Abu Dhabi
Mr Hareb Al Muhairi, VP Sales UAE, Etihad Airways, responds:
Many thanks for your congratulations on Etihad winning the “World’s Leading Airline” award for the second year in a row.
Etihad continually looks to add new and innovative features to enhance the travel experience for our customers.
These features currently include online check-in and self check-in at Abu Dhabi airport.
We also recently launched our “India Connect” scheme for members of our Etihad Guest programme travelling to and from India.
India Connect has a range of partners in India and around the world, who provide special offers for members of the scheme.
These partners include restaurants, hotels, retail chains, telecommunications services and financial service providers.
In terms of baggage allowances, this is a key commercial aspect of the airline industry and needs to be managed carefully. That said, the levels Etihad offers customers in all our cabins are among the highest in the industry.
Mr Menon responds:
I thank the management of Etihad for their response. I look forward to their extended effort to give more baggage allowance, than the existing 23 kilograms, to passengers [flying] to Indian destinations so that more families can opt for flying out from Abu Dhabi.
It is the major detrimental factor when travelling during holidays as a family or for that matter as a group with luggage for a long stay.
Gulf News’ intervention has highlighted this issue and I hope that the management of Etihad will consider this important factor in their scope for improvement for passenger comfort and convenience to attract more business to Etihad as well as Abu Dhabi airport.
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS online.
Readers Picture of the Day – GULF NEWS – Dt. 22.12.2010 – Time to Work
Readers Picture of the Day – GULF NEWS – Dt. 22.12.2010 – Time to Work
This is a picture I took and submitted to Gulf News recently. It was taken when I was driving from Kerala to Bangalore via Mangalore. This coastal area, Murudeswar, is a beautiful place and were fisherman and at that time I saw the fisherman preparing to go to sea.
Photography gives me great relief to unwind, relax and then prepare myself for the routine/or unplanned task ahead in my daytoday life.
It is a way of looking things in the most beautiful way it can ever get projected.
My Letters – GULF NEWS – Dt. 21.12.2010 – Community Service
My Letters – GULF NEWS – Dt. 21.12.2010 – Community Service
Community service
It is extremely encouraging to see women walking away with most of the prizes in the community report competition (“Making a difference in people’s lives”, Gulf News, December 15). I am sure the interest generated by this special page in Gulf News will make sure that this trend continues with more efficiency. It should be part of our daily commitment to support the administrative system by effectively notifying them about the discrepancies and shortfalls and providing solutions, without unwarranted criticism. Women and children have a bigger role to play in the improvement of things happening around and let this be inspiration for many more to step in without inhibition. All the four reporters and their reports were excellent and aptly intended to benefit the community they live in. I have to specially congratulate Ms Vamika Bajaj on her activities, promoting education amongst ordinary workers and highlighting it for the knowledge and participation of many like-minded individuals. I hope she did get the necessary support she was looking for by way of this report.
From Mr Ramesh Menon
Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS online.
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 18.12.2010 – Mobile Affinity
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 18.12.2010 – Mobile Affinity
I was recently on a visit to Kerala. It was raining heavily. As I had to go to a forest area, I decided not to carry my regular mobile phone, which had all my telephone contacts. On my way back, I witnessed an accident and suddenly felt the need to contact someone to alert about the incident.
It was at that moment I realised that in my temporary phone I did not have any contacts synchronised. I hardly remembered any required number. Luckily, I was able to remember the number of a friend in Abu Dhabi and conveyed the message and he, in turn, sent an SMS with the required contact numbers. His xtimely assistance helped me take the necessary action I wanted to.
Back in Abu Dhabi, on the first day itself, I happened to assist a colleague who lost his office key while he went out. He had two mobiles and both the phones were on his table, when he went outside for a quick task. His plight was worse as he did not remember even his own office emergency contact number. Luckily, things were sorted out quickly and he was able to recover the phones.
After these two incidents, it made me think and realise strongly, the more mobile we become, the more immobile we end up with. Whatever programming or systematic organising we do, the old book and paper system of recording is at times necessary for important matters.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
Community Report – GULF NEWS – Dt. 06.12.2010 – A solution to the poster menace around Abu Dhabi
Community Report – GULF NEWS – Dt. 06.12.2010 – A solution to the poster menace around Abu Dhabi
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A solution to the poster menace around Abu Dhabi
Sticking posters on walls and public bus stops has been an issue that spoils the image of cities all around the UAE. Motivated by the authorities’ new initiatives, I went around Abu Dhabi and decided to highlight a few cases.
I found that putting up bills and posters is not a one-off issue. They are pasted in all possible places at junctions and areas frequented by the public. A closer look brought out the content of most of the posters on display. They are either rooms for rent, tuitions or baby sitting jobs that are available.
This shows the need for a common, convenient and economic platform for the public who wish to advertise locally.
The same platform could also be used as an advertisement board to exhibit what is happening locally, within a short time frame.
Through this community report, I therefore call on the municipality and development departments to install simple notice boards at prominent corners in each neighbourhood.
People who wish to advertise could then do so after paying a fixed amount to the municipality or relevant authority. Inspectors could then monitor and also penalise those who post indiscriminately in non-designated places and spoil the beauty of our city.
A section of these notice boards could be used to post advertisements of programmes happening within the city, organised by the authorities as well as private parties. This option would bring in added revenue.
I sincerely hope this proposed system would help reduce the problem.
The reader is a technical officer based in Abu Dhabi
Be a citizen reporter. Tell us what is happening in your community. Write to us and send us your videos and pictures at readers@gulfnews.com
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS online
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 04.12.2010 – On ‘write’ path
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 04.12.2010 – On ‘write’ path
On ‘write’ path
I was with a friend the other day. As we walked discussing several topics, we passed a post box. Suddenly, our topic changed to the tradition and forgotten art of letter writing.
It is Christmas and New Year time and we remembered and talked to each other about the olden days when we used to anxiously wait for the greetings from relatives and friends. Those days have gone and the tradition is already extinct.
What made me interested was the fact he told me about his parents. For the past 20 years, he regularly writes to them every week. Once in a month, he takes a demand draft for their monthly expenses and posts it along with a small note discussing the small things happening with him and at the same time curiously asking what’s happening in their world.
This happens without fail, even though he calls them frequently. He was telling me how happy his parents were when they received his letter and when he gets their thank-you note acknowledging and detailing the smaller things, which gets past their usual phone calls.
I wish I could emulate him. I am sure many others who read this will also envy him.
Ramesh Menon
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