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Thanks you guys.

maJOR pAIN ..

I believe it is time to introduce something like "permanent residence" to immigrants in the country, without regard to their ethnicities, European, Arab and Asian alike.

Hopefully something like that will occur soon, especially with the legislation of the 99 year visa type. Things are getting better.

Can I borrow some money? Just let me borrow like a few million, I give it back

Hey Distressed,

I have to say it's great to have an Emirati with opinions and views such as yours. (sadly not all are as open minded and forward thinking). People such as yourself are the way forward in this country and I hope that your visions become realised.

The UAE has made me and my family very welcome for the last 8 years and I hope that we'll be here for a while to come yet.

Chocoholic wrote:Ok with regard to clubs and door policies, you have to remember that clubs and bars are also businesses, their aim is to make money. The best way for them to cash in obviously is over the bar, now having observed this for a fact and spoken to many door staff, the western expats as we all know are drinkers, they like nothing more than getting their wallets out and getting plastered, so obviously clubs like these kinds of people. Where as people from other nationalities will order a bottle of water between 4 of them, plus don't get offended but we all know there are certain guys who just stand and lear at the women all night and make it an uncomfortable atmosphere.

Locals are not allowed to enter these establishments in their local dress, if they're wearing western attire then it's fine.

Umm, I beg to differ... big spenders at clubs are not Westerners but actually Asians. When was the last time I saw a Westerner pick up a tab in the VPS section for 10,000 DHS? However, I have many Indian and Lebanese friends who book tables and run up huge tabs...

To the original poster, things aint hat bad now as many clubs realize who the big spenders are

It was just what I heard straight from the doormen's mouth.

But yeah the Lebanese go mental in the clubs too. Of course there are well off and harding working Indians/Asians too, but this is where they become a victim of pre-conceived ideas in the UAE, because the majority are employed as low wage workers, many people lump them all in the same category.

Chocoholic wrote:It was just what I heard straight from the doormen's mouth.

But yeah the Lebanese go mental in the clubs too. Of course there are well off and harding working Indians/Asians too, but this is where they become a victim of pre-conceived ideas in the UAE, because the majority are employed as low wage workers, many people lump them all in the same category.

True I suppose.. though most people can tell a well off indian / businessman from the labourers and lower class pretty easliy.. and most big businessmen in the UAE fall under Arab or Indian nationality..

eye opening didnt know about free water and electricity, suppose you would be jealous..teehee actually didnt know there was water charges..thought i was going to get away from that in the uk, please God (Allah) tell me theres no council tax nearly died of death with that, in ireland there is neither of those charges, but we do have a fair bit of racism as the ports are just opening the last few years for more "outsiders" to come in, but their the ones taking over and running buisnesses.....Now living in the desert with a few camals does sound nice....at least youd get a tan, so when u visit home and its pissing raining youve got sun glow beaming and radiating from your skin and make all your friends and relitives envious hehehe, where am i going with this.......serious issue though needed a bit of lightening

Shouldnt locals be treated a bit better then non-locals?

I mean, it is THEIR country, and they have the right to allow you in or not. I understand that immigrants help build most countries, but still I think locals should always receive preferential treatment.

There is a reason why people leave their own country, and with all of the good immigration brings, it also brings alot of bad.

Oh good, then if I move back to the UK, can I get preferential treatment because I'm a 'local'?

You dont think Locals should get preferential treatment? I know its kind of a touchy subject because you have been an expat for a long time and contributed alot to your new home ---- but deep down do you feel like you are always 100 percent equal with people that are UAE blood?

Not all of them can go to the UK and get equal rights.

I might be totally wrong, I am just really interested in your opinion about it.

Well of course it's 'their' country, but that doesn't mean some of them have to be ignorant about sharing it with those who're contributing to it and actually building the place.

Some of the attitudes suck, for example a friend of mine went to the cinema and a local guy was yapping away loudly on his phone, she asked him politely to take the call outside or talk later, his response was 'It's my country I'll do what the hell I want' - charming attitude. You see the UAE has opened it's doors to expats and relies heavily on tourism now for it's income so attitudes like this have to change, you have to be tolerant and be willing to share things with others.

I mean the situation in the UK takes the p***, you have all these guys coming in who sponge off the system take the council housing etc, what about the people who've lived there all their lives who just get moved off the waiting lists for these people - it sucks!

Thankfully, most nationals aren't like the arsehole I mentioned above.

What do you think the future of imagrants in Dubai is? I am 16 years and old, in my future I am planning on going to med school and then open a practice in Dubai. Do you think the governemtn will change the way they feel about the imigrants?

Opening up the doors of the UAE to naturalizatin shjould be done slowly and with great prudence.

It is my opinion that only Muslims ought to be allowed to be naturalized after some little time and only if they are fluent in Arabic or of the Arab race.

As for snobby locals, I have never gotten such a response from ANYONE. Those that act like a$$holes towards non-Arab expats act nice to me because I am an Arab and there is a certain amount of understanding to a degree - not that it justifies speaking to a foreigner in that way... I speak to strangers with the upmost of respect.

Just say in a nice way in Arabic.

"Ya akhi, 3mol ma3rouf, iza feek itkamil 7adissak ba3d al film, bkoun mamnounak"... Means, Brother, please, if you can please continue your conversation after the movie I would be most appreciative (something like that)... Somehow it comes out stronger in English and friendler in Arabic... hmmm... Dunno why...

Thanks Liban, one to keep in mind.

Liban said, "It is my opinion that only Muslims ought to be allowed to be naturalized after some little time and only if they are fluent in Arabic or of the Arab race."

So what about the second and third generation Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Philipinos who live and work here? The UAE is the only country they have called home.

If Canada only accepted people with French and UK background, who spoke French or English, and were Roman Catholic or Protestant Christians - you wouldn't have gotten Canadian citizenship Liban. (When will you renounce your Canadian citizenship by the way?)

Other countries are supposed to be accomodating to people of other backgrounds and religions, yet the UAE is supposed to be only Arabs and only Muslims?

This doesn't sound logical and fair to me!

Just a question and not intended to upset anyone but what is this constant reference to Muslims speaking fluent Arabic? You do realise there are plenty of Muslims that don't speak fluent Arabic-surely that doesn't make them less of a Muslim? Just seems a little odd to me and bigoted.

In Canada they are going to change the law to force you to know one of the official languages before becomig a citizen. The only thing Canadian I will renounce is YOU Kanelli...

As for the speaking Arabic. The UAE is an Arab country, so only logical to speak Arabic to come here.... You know, English is NOT the language of the land people

As for the Islam issue, you are in the Arabian continent, birthplace of Islam. Respect that fact when you are here and understand that Islam is the religion of this land.

Yes, I know that English is not the language of the world! But it has been said or implied a few times that Islam goes hand in hand with speaking Arabic and it plainly does not. It is not a comment that is supposed to irritate anyone, just an observation.

This whole "thing" about locals getting preferential treatment is not isolated to just one country but to many. I've lived in a place where all expats pay more for their electricty which is logical and understandable when you consider that, in this particular country, the average wage of locals is around USD$ 45 per month, hardly comparable to an expat package and it justifies the double standard.

Liban wrote:In Canada they are going to change the law to force you to know one of the official languages before becomig a citizen. The only thing Canadian I will renounce is YOU Kanelli...

As for the speaking Arabic. The UAE is an Arab country, so only logical to speak Arabic to come here.... You know, English is NOT the language of the land people

As for the Islam issue, you are in the Arabian continent, birthplace of Islam. Respect that fact when you are here and understand that Islam is the religion of this land.

Hypocritical as usual.

You just like to attack me for the sake of attacking Kanelli...

Such a shame you are not able to do anything else...

Liban

Basically the fact is you dont get anything you dont ask for, your attitude dictates you get what is fair and reasonable.

You just like the last word.

Fact is you and Kanelli are bigots and racists. You just don't see it.

And also, you and especially Kanelli take pleasure in flaming me regardless of what I say....

You may well think that, i cannot possibly comment

Oh, come on guys!! Liban-you get terse very easily! I always tend to think that some topics are best left alone until we meet and we can all understand the tone of each others posts.

Liban, where is your evidence that I am racist? Please feel free to post it.

I have friends from many different cultures with many different religions and skin colours who can attest that I am no racist.

You made a racist comment about who should get UAE citizenship and who shouldn't.

If you wouldn't continue to post the kind of crap that you do, I wouldn't "attack" you.

1) Just because slave masters spoke to their black slaves or had kids with them or befriended them back in the bad days of slavery in the USA, didn't mean that they were racist towards the blacks. That describes Kanelli and her relation with Muslims.

2) Racist comment on the UAE??? Oh, I assumed that since this is an Arab country that technically people should speak Arabic before becoming citizens. Yes that was racist... Very racist of me... Also declaring that Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and hence the need to maintain an Islamic majority is quite racist too... How dare I say Muslims should live in the land of their religion...

Kanelli, get a clue...

Liban

Your definition of what constitutes "racist" is miles away from some of ours.

For instance, in the UK it is a fact that your opinion regarding language would make "front page news" as an extreme form of "racisim". In the UK we respect those immigrants and asylum seekers that choose to keep their faiths and origins.

Indeed. it is now Law that our authorities produce all their written literature in languages accessable to all ethnic minorities. This would include for instance Arabic, Hindu, Somalian etc etc.

So in our culture, your comments are classed as racist and would be illegal and not tollerated.

If you were in a public position in the UK and said "all immigrants etc must learn to speak english etc" you would find yourself out of a job and in Court charged with Racial Discrimination.

This goes back Liban to how you react to what you deem flaming or some form of personal persecution. If you were to politely ask the right questions, you would indeed receive a very polite reply like i hopefully have here.

If you dont agree with something or dont understand just ask nicely.

A couple of facts..

The majority of Muslims don't speak or understand Arabic - they will know the prayers in Arabic but won't be able to speak arabic.

The situation for citizenship in the UK has now changed and requires knowledge of English and the British way of life. There is an exam on this - covering things like the British judicial system (I learnt a few things when I flicked through the book). The irony is that what the prospective applicants have to learn is probably knowledge that 'locals' don't themselves possess!!

(My wife was thinking of finally applying for British Citizenship, but given that it now costs over £300 and she has to take the exam etc, we have decided not to bother.)

Cheers,
Shafique

Liban wrote:Fact is you and Kanelli are bigots and racists. You just don't see it.

Liban that really is a bit rich. This coming from the person who said the following:

"As far as I am concerned, the Jews are a curse on this planet...

They are like a disease. They infest and spread like vermin.
Sure some Jews died 60+ years ago... But so did millons more other people. So why do we keep blabbering about those bastards? Why? Because they have their dirty little fingers and crooked noses congtrolling all media, money, governments, etc... Satan's little helpers.

I curse the evil Jew. And as far as I am concerned. Hitler was a BIG LOSER because he couldn't finish what he started...

I rest my case.....

The people you refer to as being bigoted and racist on this forum seem to me to put their case strongly but moderately. never in an extreme or fanatical way... in very sharp contrast to you. I've never seen them lash out with gratuitous abuse against Muslims or any other group.

The true bigot and racist on here has been exposed as such by his own extreme words on many occasions.

PS Cue locking of the thread.... if ever there was a contradiction in terms, it's you being called a "Moderator".

If only you'd adequately address my first post Liban... still waiting for that.

Why are you focusing on the language part of my comment? It is definitely NOT unreasonable to expect people to speak the language of the country they want citizenship for. That wasn't my point! I think it is UNFAIR to say that only ARABS and MUSLIMS should be allowed citizenship in the UAE.

I think an Indian (Muslim or Christian) who has raised one or two generations of family here is more suitable for citizenship than a first generation expat Arab from the region.

What about Indian, Indonesian, Philipino, or other Muslims who live here - are they to be excluded from citizenship because they aren't Arabs?