Thursday 9 December 2010

Meh

Meh.Image via WikipediaSome days you just take a look around you and throw up your hands.

Electricity and water charges in Dubai are going up by 15%, a rise that applies to expatriates only.

New labour card fees are to be announced soon, we're told - hot on the heels of the news that labour cards are to be renewed on a two year cycle rather than the current three year cycle. And somehow I don't think they're going to be talking about cutting the cost of the cards to reflect their 33% reduction in validity.

A top Dubai police official is calling for a ban on parades following the chaos (or fun, depends on how you look at it) of National Day - Abu Dhabi police have confirmed a whopping tally of 25,000 bookings and 300 accidents around National Day. HSBC have a confusing and irritating new phone banking service that depends on you using the telephone they have registered for you.

Adding to that lot, we have finally had it confirmed that, in the UAE at least, 'freehold' actually means 'usufruct'. What the hell is 'usufruct'? It's "...the legal right to use and derive profit or benefit from property that belongs to another person, as long as the property is not damaged." Seriously.

I don't know where to start...
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8 comments:

Dubai Jazz said...

I don't know about everyone else, but I'm pro banning the parades.

Mich said...

I don't care about the parades. I can sit at home for one evening. But how are we going to afford all the rest?????? Very depressing reading. What a pity... Mehhhhhh indeed!

annonymous said...

I got laid yesterday.. sort of mellows things out.

Also see what I did there with the anonymous bit... I bin thinking about that for like 2 seconds.

Mohammad said...

I'm for the parades. I love this country, and on a day like that, I like to go mental.

on the other point,

I'm against the way the government is collecting tax. indirect tax.

I don't mind paying high taxes, if I get something in return. social security, whatever. u know.

but taking my money through labor cards and salik and electricity bills is just messed up. oh, and not sustainable. they need to revisit their "long term" plans.

Unknown said...

Gurjit Singh, chief operating officer of Sorouh Real Estate:
"It's going to give a lot more confidence to the real estate market — to investors, property purchasers and developers,"

What has this guy been smoking? So people who purchased property understanding the land and property was theirs for keeps, now find out they have usufruct. Now that really inspires confidence ... NOT!

If it wasn't so tragic it would be comical.

Unknown said...

And as for the price increases for "non-nationals" .... I find it amazing that ex-pats accept that.

Emjay said...

How do you pronounce usufruct? Does it sound like "You're so F**ked!"? ;)

Johannes said...

Looks like Dubai is now officially bancrupt. Grasping on straws to get money from someone, anyone...

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