Is Dubai Artificial

rohit

I am not sure in what context you used the Dubai construction costs. However, I don`t think anybody would say that the cost would be the same in UAE and Pakistan. We would generally compare costs on the basis of locations with similar cost structure. But it should be interesting to note that rents for apartments in Toronto are much less than that prevailing in Dubai. And you may be right that there might be a cartel.

While treated water might also be used, desalinated water is more wide spread. Treated water is not exclusively used.

Please define middle class for me and also tell me in a two income family is the cooking generally not out-sourced.

I am surprised to know that you get part-time gardeners. my understanding was that you get specific employment visas and it was not possible to take up multiple employers. And the employer that takes the visa would be responsible for the employee.

generally we agree on all other aspects.

Agreed it has been created but so is every city. I mean where does one find natural buildings or natural roads or natural shops.

they cant help it if they are 15%. They have shrewdly calculated that they need the population base for a reasonable development strategy. Atleast hey are not anti-expatriate (others specially saudi are fast becoming one)

the grenery you see is NOT desalinated water. Desalinated water is very expensive. The grenery is grown on TREATED water from sewage systems. Excellent use of resources....don`t you think.

the newspaper stuff is correct but is slowly changing. give it some time.

construction costs are not like India/Pakistan. They are expensive because of the strict rules regarding buildings/fire/roads etc. You have to appoint consultants/architects/contractors all of whom are expatriates and labor charges are not cheap.

Dubai real estate is controlled by a cartel who are artifically keeping the price. You can hop across and live in Sharjah.

What is that cook business? Do you imply the middle class Pakistanis employ cooks at home?

Most villas have gardens. Many appartment guys maintain greenery in their balconies. I know people who have engaged part-time gardeners for their balconey greenery. Believe me it is tough to grow plants in that climate. You need REAL expertise.

Most of the families I know have cleaners....they are not expensive. Education is expensive becuase there are no Govt. Subsidies and the teachers have to be paid Gulf Salaries.

The Local payment angle is true but remember the guy also bears a lot of risk on account of default and Government is cracking down hard on such pay and operate business. It is theri country anyways and you are guest.

Dubai is not heaven. There is rampant discrimination (Goras - Locals - Arabs - Others..... that is the hierarchy).

However for middle class Indians, the savings generated by a stint in Dubai is far far higher that years of slogging in India. People come here to put some substance in their savings account and are generally willing to live in some discomfort.

Urstruly & semipreciousme

I just wonder that by alienating foreign investment can we expect them to enhance economic activity in Ethiopia. If we truly feel strongly about Ethiopia`s condition, then I think we should raise an amount of money to pay Nestle so that Nestle feels vindicated against the unfair confiscation of its property. If Ethiopia or we as bystanders keep on condoning lack of respect for private property, then we should not expect any support or investment from the international community going forward.

Two wrongs do not make a right.

I did not realize when they added my article on the web. As such my late response.

Shah,

Exactly my point, that the expenses are higher because the incomes are higher. But expenses are higher by a greater margin then the incomes.

Ansari,

I was going through history and I realized that Arabs are no different from who they were 1400 years back. Prophet had to tell them that Arabs are no different from non-arabs but despite this non-arabs were treated badly and as such Abbasyids rose with the help of Mawla.

mbenzenglish

With so much wrong with UAE I have to admit the one thing right is their policy to let anyone being sponsored (in the official economy) that can have a positive impact on the economy. I feel you should not be threatened by other religions but look at it as an opportunity to be able to interact with them. I mean Islam survived in India for 500 years so why would it not survive elsewhere.

faisaluno

are you angry because i have a chef or are you angry that someone is working as a chef. I mean people work as chef in all parts of the world and they get paid according to the conditions prevailing there. I don`t know what gave you the impression that i do not treat my chef well. He would not be working since the last couple of years if I was not treating him well

...urstruly #18...for once a worthwhile post...a follow-up:...


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2593697.stm

i support the boycott on Nestle products.

the only Nestle product i use are Maggi chicken cubes.

Dubai Chalo!


Ras

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AN APPEAL FOR A BOYCOTT.

Dear People,

In the name of humanity and in the name of good conscience I would like to appeal to you to boycott Nestle products from now on. The multinational coffee corporation, Nestle, is demanding a $6m (£3.7m) payment from the government of the world`s poorest state, Ethiopia, as the country struggles to combat its worst famine for nearly 20 years.
The money is compensation for an Ethiopian business, which the previous military government nationalised in 1975. It could feed a million people for a month, according to Oxfam.

Dear People,

Let us not forget that humanity is starving in Africa for no other reason but ruthless loot and plunder of Europeans. People there suffer civil wars, death, hunger, torture, only because Europeans have and still are playing games and looting gold, diamonds and other natural resources without impunity. Let us also not forget the centuries of slavery, prejudice, and apartheid that Europeans have subjected Africans to. And now they have balls to ask for compensation? Only one who should be paying compensation here is the Europeans to the Africans for they are the one who committed crimes against humanity and inflicted inhuman indignity to the Africans.

Dear people!

Just imagine your children and loved ones in place of starving Africans. If you care for humanity; if you care for dignity of a human being you must boycott these capitalist corporate thugs.

Dear people.

Please keep in mind that Nestle is not the only one but 40 other multinational vultures are also hovering above the dying Africans.

Say No to Nestle. Say no to Capitalist Corporate Vultures

http://www.guardian.co.uk/famine/story/0,12128,862655,00.html

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dear amin, i couldn`t have agreed with you more about dubai. though i donot know anything about the healthcare, and social security etc, but what i do know is how uncomfortable i felt there when i was there for a short period of 8 hours. I had come from tehran, where one would expect more hostilty considering the great american propoganda we see on cnn. but surprisingly my 8 day visit to tehran was simply fantastic and i enjoyed every second of it. at no time i was made to feel like an outsider in tehran.

but when i landed in dubai for an 8 hr stopover during which i visited my uncle, i just didn`t like the atmosphere. i could feel a certain hostility towards people from the sub continent right from the moment i stepped out of the flight. right from the immigration officer at the airport to a rare arab cashier that i saw in carre four dept store, i could feel some hostility.

as someone said, ``mid palaces and pleasures though we may roam, be it ever so humble, THERE`S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.`

some people realise this the easy way, some the hard way. i chose the earlier option.

good luck mate.

devkant.

so one of the author`s gripe is that he cant have food cooked by his own chef. and yet he complains that foreigners dont treat pakistanis with respect. buddy, how does it feel to be treated abroad in a manner most regular pakis are treated in their own country by the high and mighty? what is so bad about a place where middle-class folks can go to get an honest reward for their labour? so what if they get treated badly by dubai officialdom? visit any neighbourhood thana in pak and see the treatment meted out to folks who are financially challenged (i.e. most pakistanis).

treat your own khansama well and see the how well all pakis get treated abroad.

this is so true..wht use is it living in a country where they refuse to accept u as citizenz???

Dubai.....its a devil in disguise. Us Pakistanis donot get any respect we deserve..and besides its hell to work with the Arabis...they are weird bunch of ppl.

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No doubt Dubai, Bahrian and specially Saudia life is so artificial..........life is all about facalities?..........................we complian all the time that there is no political freedom in pakistan. If you compare it with Mideast Countries, u can see the difference. In pakistan we dont have any Hyde Park but still i can sit in Cafe Piyala and burst on Mushraff or Bibi. For Arab , Pakistani and Indian are cheap labor.........they will never get any respect in Gulf..............big shopping malls, wide motorways, airconditioned buildings...........crap...........life is not all about only facalities.