LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A few suggestions for Abu Dhabi’s new development

I was happy to read about the Hudayriat Island development project (Abu Dhabi’s island dream on the way to reality, August 18). However, I have a few suggestions. Make it for locals who have small families and insist on a maximum of two cars only per family.

If they want more, they pay a car tax per extra car to the Government. Limit the height of all apartment blocks to a maximum of three floors.

As in Masdar City, have driverless pods that run on a circuit around the island and stop at grocery stores, the laundry, tailors, pharmacies and mosques, as people cannot drive to the small amenities. Don’t build any huge malls; those should only be accessed by car on the mainland.

Build community centres offering a range of activities: mother and toddler/baby groups; after-school clubs; and lessons on traditional ways of making things to keep the culture alive.

In the parks, have tennis courts, volleyball, a place for field sports, a couple of gyms with indoor pools. It would also require a women-only beach.

Perhaps this could be the first island where all its buildings are printed in 3D.

Name withheld by request

Abu Dhabi needs affordable and reasonably priced apartments to support its growth plans. Gerrit Ai, Abu Dhabi

Europe needs infrastructure to support tourism activities

Create infrastructure to support the growth of tourism (Europeans angry at having to share their cities with millions of tourists, August 17). All of these cities and countries depend heavily on tourists for seasonal job creation. Shervin Cacchioni, Dubai

Europeans are not angry about all tourists. They are angry about noisy and drunk tourists who show no respect; they are angry about tourists who increase the cost of living for residents. Frederic Beaugrand, Dubai

Massage parlour owners should be penalised

In many areas of Abu Dhabi, the streets are littered with cards advertising these services (Dubai’s sleazy massage card distributors to face deportation

under new rules, August 16). Surely it is the establishments offering the services, who should be penalised. All these cards advertise a telephone number and often a location of the service provider. A penalty of disconnection of phone service could be effective. Jeremy Weeks, Abu Dhabi