Saturday, June 23, 2007

Petitions work? Gimme a break!

There's an online petition complaining that salik is not a good idea, at least for the time being. It's not very clear but I assume it's asking the RTA to postpone the July 1st start-date.

What amuses me is that people, many people, are claiming that the earlier on-line petition to 'save our beach' was hugely successful and was the main reason Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid ordered the work to stop. They think the latest one will have the same effect.

What arrogance. What self-importance. What a dream world they live in.

Sheikh Mohammed will do what he believes is the right thing for Dubai, for its future growth and prosperity. You can bet your life he will not be swayed from that by the complaints of a few hundred transient expats, here for a short period then back to their home countries.

If he thought it was in Dubai's best interests to develop the beach it would have gone ahead. He didn't, it didn't.

The petition would have had no influence on the decision.

If he cancells or postpones salik at this late stage it will be because he has the advice of experts such as Brig. Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Director of Dubai Police's Traffic Department, who is vocally opposed to the plan.

Once again, a petition by a few expats will not influence government policy. Sign it by all means, blog about it - I do endlessly, write to the papers about it, be vocal about it. But don't think for one moment that if the government thinks it's the right thing to do you will be able to reverse the decision.

And if it is reversed, please don't claim credit for it, like the beach petitioners and their supporters.

The salik petition is here.

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