UAE

How to cremate a loved one

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How to cremate a loved one
Preeti Kannan/The National


The death of a loved one is a traumatic experience, and handling formalities and paperwork surrounding funeral arrangements can make it even more distressing, especially in a foreign country.


Multi-faith cremations are done at the New Sonapur Hindu Cremation Ground in Jebel Ali, and Al Foah Crematorium and Burial Facility in Al Ain.

Residents must produce several documents. Among them are a death certificate from the hospital with legal translation in Arabic and English, and an attested copy of the death certificate from the ministries of health and foreign affairs.
Residents also must get the deceased’s visa and passport cancelled, acquire a cremation permit, and obtain a release letter from the police. If the deceased is a resident of a different emirate from where the death occurred, a letter from that
emirate’s police department is necessary for transporting the body. Children under the age of five are buried or repatriated to their home countries.

Specialised arrangements can be made for children.

“When some religions prohibit children being cremated, the other option is to bury,” said Don Fox, chief executive at Al Foah Funeral Services. “We have fully landscaped burial grounds with a special area for children.”

Al Foah Funeral Services and the Middle East Funeral Services (MEFS) offer to take care of all the paperwork, arrange transportation for the remains, and facilitate other services.

MEFS usually takes two to three days to complete the formalities, and charges between Dh5,000 and Dh15,000. Al Foah Funeral Services usually completes documentation in a day, and charges between Dh2,000 and Dh18,000. The total
costs vary depending on the family’s needs. The processing time can be longer if it is a police case.

To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL online

This entry was posted in Information - General, UAE.

Time for Etisalat to improve its airport presence

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Although it is the major telecommunications service provider in the UAE, Etisalat still falls short when it comes to providing good customer service.

At Abu Dhabi Airport, the location of the only Etisalat payment machine is unknown even to many of the airport staff. The plight of a visitor can be imagined.

When I tried to deposit money in the machine recently, it would not accept any notes. When I called the Etisalat contact centre to report this error, I failed to convince the operator about the importance of this issue.

He wanted to have the machine’s ID number, which was not displayed. I told him the machine’s location – it is just in front of the Etihad and NBAD offices on the mezzanine floor – but he was adamant about getting this number so he could log the complaint.

I wonder whether the machine was finally repaired. Considering the value of Etisalat’s reach and its prominence in this country, I think it should have a customer support and sales counter at the airport arrivals terminal.

This is especially significant as the airport will be the gateway for all the visitors arriving for the new season of international events, including the Formula One race.

Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL online

This entry was posted in Community Reports, Community Service, Letters to the editor, Mind Speaks, The National, TQM, UAE.

Abandoned cars send a message

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Abandoned cars send a message

I recently visited Abu Dhabi International Airport’s short-term car park and was shocked to see many cars there completely covered in dust.
Some of them had punctured tyres and the dust was inscribed with graffiti, so I guessed that they had been there for a long time. This was confirmed when I visited 10 days later and the same vehicles were still there.
I am not sure whether these are cars parked in the wrong place by travellers who are on long holidays or they have been abandoned by people who have left the country for good.
Graffiti on one of them saying “Gone fishing” made me think the latter might be the case.
I hope the relevant authorities at the airport can remove these vehicles, as they provide an unpleasant sight for visitors.
With several key events scheduled to happen immediately after Ramadan, this is one thing the authorities should take into consideration in their efforts to continue to keep the city neat and clean.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL online.

This entry was posted in Community Reports, Community Service, Letters to the editor, Opinion 2012, The National, TQM, UAE.

Highway facilities require attention

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Highway facilities require attention
There is a serious lack of clean toilets at the highway petrol stations between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Even in the existing, limited number of toilets, hygiene needs seem to have been neglected.
Visit one on any given busy evening or morning, and it’s obvious that these toilets are not as well-maintained or cleaned as they should be.
Bear in mind that these are international roads connecting to bordering countries, and that children will need to use them.
I hope the petrol stations and health authorities initiate measures to address this issue.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit The National online.

This entry was posted in Community Reports, Community Service, Letters to the editor, Opinion 2012, The National, TQM, UAE.

Message of safety for Holy Month

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Message of safety for Holy Month
The Holy Month of Ramadan is underway and with it comes renewed worries over road safety.
This year will be one of the hottest and longest Ramadan fasting periods in recent memory; it is a matter of concern for all who are on the road during the period just before breaking the fast.
On the first day of Ramadan, I happened to witness and experience at least three near misses on roads in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
Watching these dangerous driving habits made me think that it would be helpful for authorities to come out with stricter rules and fines for those who drive dangerously prior to iftar.
In addition, it would be a great move if warnings and messages about the dangers of speeding during this time were made at various iftar tents and prayer halls around the country. It would also be appropriate for religious scholars to offer messages about the dangers of careless driving.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit The National Online.

You may also read the below article and actions which followed the above article:

Dubai police report 3,605 traffic accidents since start of Ramadan

This entry was posted in Community Reports, Community Service, HSE, Letters to the editor, Mind Speaks, Opinion 2012, The National, TQM, UAE.

Historic landmarks need to be maintained

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Historic Abu Dhabi landmarks not maintained

Authorities need to ensure that proper attention and respect is given to key sights
By Ramesh Menon, Gulf News Reader
Published: July 6, 2012
  • Image Credit: Ramesh Menon/Gulf News Reader
  • An iconic landmark in Abu Dhabi is covered in graffiti and dirt.

I was walking along the airport road of Abu Dhabi towards the corniche, where the historic canon and incense burner shaped landmarks are situated. It has been a prestigious piece for a long time.
The fountain along with its majestic positioning in the middle of high rise buildings on both sides gives a special feeling to whoever visits this central part of Abu Dhabi.
However, walking closer to the fountain and the canon shaped structure, I was astonished with the way it has been damaged and ignored for maintenance. The landmark had tiles missing, grills broken, waste thrown around, and graffiti on its wall.
  • Image Credit: Ramesh Menon/Gulf News Reader
  • The canon shaped structure appears to have been ignored for maintenance.

It gave me an unpleasant feeling of how people take care of these historic landmarks. Some years ago, the prestigious ‘Volcano Fountain’ was demolished, and it’s now history. We don’t know whether this is also an item marked to be demolished in the near future.
I request that the Abu Dhabi authorities give this historic landmark of Abu Dhabi a facelift and also take action against whoever spoils its beauty with graffiti or advertisements. Please take good care of Abu Dhabi’s historic landmarks.
This reader is based in Abu Dhabi
Be a community reporter. Tell us what is happening in your community. Send us your videos and pictures at readers@gulfnews.com


To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS online

This entry was posted in Community Reports, Community Service, Gulf News, Letters to the editor, Opinion 2012, TQM, UAE.

Indians in UAE can’t fly home

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Indians in UAE can’t fly home

Travel to India this summer is simply not affordable for ordinary salaried Indians in the UAE. The low-salaried shouldn’t even think about it. (Air India remains in holding pattern, June 22).

Almost no seats are available this weekend from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to anywhere in India, and the seats on offer seem to be priced starting at Dh3,200, or Dh2,500 one way.

With Air India’s labour unrest and other problems, travel back home has become a nightmare, especially for emergencies.

Helpless as ever, we non-resident Indians can only convey our wishes to India’s civil aviation authorities.

Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi

To read it in original, please visit The National online

This entry was posted in Letters to the editor, Mind Speaks, Opinion 2012, The National, TQM, UAE.

Vice-President urges public to take part in UAE National Logo selection

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Vice-President urges public to take part in UAE National Logo selection


Residents asked to vote for one logo from five finalists

By Derek Baldwin, Chief Reporter GULF NEWS Published: June 24, 2012
Dubai: In a country now home to some of the most famous brand placements in the world, the UAE has launched plans to come up with its very own brand logo to promote itself locally and abroad.

Two months after the UAE was named the second preferred international market by the world’s top 326 retail brands, the UAE is asking the public’s help to select its new future logo.

Five logo finalists have already been chosen and their work has been posted on http://www.uaepm.ae, the website of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The Ruler has also posted the logo launch on Twitter, where he said the brand logo will be used locally and abroad in all national promotional campaigns, projecting a unified UAE identity and highlight the uniqueness of the UAE.
The voting process begins on Sunday and ends on July 18, 2012.

Members of the public will be able to vote for one of the five logos uploaded on the Prime Minister’s website. The chosen logo will have variations that can be used in both Arabic and English.

Shaikh Mohammad said that the usage of the logo will be a part of a strategic plan that is based on coordination between governmental and non-governmental bodies to use major events held both locally and abroad to spread and narrate the nation’s message and story to the world.

Visitors to the website are being given the opportunity to select their favourite brand logo that best represents the country.

“The nation brand logo that you are going to choose is a promotional logo for the UAE. It shall be used locally and internationally to promote a unified identity for the UAE and express its unique aspects setting it apart from other nations around the world,” the website stated.

“The UAE nation brand is to be used as a visual identity for the nation, to communicate to the world its vision and tell its story. The nation brand must reflect the UAE’s global economic and political status and its diverse and attractive cultural and business environment, which make it a leading destination for tourism, economic, and cultural activities.”

The push to brand itself is a wise move in a world with a growing roster of big brand logos and recognisable names, said a Dubai-based branding expert on Sunday.

Haroon Popal, creative manager at Creative Studio, is a specialist in branding, design and logos and said that the branding move “means the UAE wants to position itself in the world to be recognised. Brand awareness is very necessary.”

Branding, he said, is more than just picking a graphic and a fancy font.

“When you brand something, it adds value, whether it’s a company or a country. It becomes valuable,” Popal said.
Constantly exposing a brand to the public also helps create a sense of awareness and identity that people begin to recognise automatically,“When you see something again and again, you start building trust. It will create recognition, build trust. It also helps one to identify itself a certain style,” Popal said.
Whenever an entity chooses to rebrand, it means they are seeking increased awareness about who they are, what they offer and the values for which they stand, he said.

Voting for the new logo semi-finalists began on Sunday and will remain open until July 18 – visitors to the website can only vote for one design.

To vote, log on to http://services.moca.gov.ae/en/index.aspx.

With input from WAM / Source, credits and thanks to : GULF NEWS

This entry was posted in TQM, UAE.

A midday break to benefit everyone

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A midday break to benefit everyone

Enforcement of the law protecting workers who are out in the sun this summer period is commendable.

But perhaps the rule should be applied to others working outside. Mawaqif inspectors, for instance, are out all day. Why not give them a respite? While we’re at it, how about a summer free of Mawaqif parking fees? That would be a true win-win.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL online.

This entry was posted in Community Reports, Community Service, Letters to the editor, Opinion 2012, The National, TQM, UAE.

A quite Friday morning – WysiWyc – What you see is What you click – daily passionate clicks

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WysiWyc – What you see is What you click – daily passionate clicks by Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi city view from Abu Dhabi Mall. It is extremely beautiful to view the city from the height of Abu Dhab Mall Business Towers. One gets to watch the busy life as it happens. However, in this picture, you will see the silence of the city on a Friday morning. It is more, especially being holiday season and most of the expats are on leave abroad or out of Abu Dhabi with friends and family.

Have a great evening,

Ramesh Menon
30.12.2011

This entry was posted in Abu Dhabi - Must Visit Tourist Spots, Abu Dhabi - Today in UAE, Daily Passionate Photography Thoughts, PassionatePhotographers, Photo Speaks, UAE, WysiWyc, WysiWyc - What you see is What you click.