Perhaps the advertisements will have lost their sometimes overwhelming, sometimes baffling charm: "You are always close to our heart" (a bank); "Pre-loved Designer Wear"
For a glimpse of Dubai in the years to come, we can do no better than turn to the Crown Prince, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. Addressing delegates at a Government Summit designed to show how the city could be run by smart technology within 7 years, His Higness proclaimed: "Today we set our goals for the government of Dubai in 2021, as we march confidently towards the future and new horizons".
"There should be no more talk of multiple departments. The government works as one: one ID, one phone number, one centre", adding, rather rashly, I thought "and one employee".
Dubai is a fine place to be as long as you keep the right side of the powers-that-be. Those that flout the law should know that ignorance is no defence. Burka's law is there to be obeyed and those who forget this simple precept do not have a leg to stand on and may well end up without a hand to write with as well.
In view of the above and following Edward Snowden's example, I have decided to postpone publication of this post until I am safely out of the country.
I think it would be unfair of one who spent so very few hours there to form an opinion of a country - but of course I did!
ReplyDeleteOne point I feel the Sheik left out of his speech was "one architect". Seemed to me that anywhere "residential" was (mainly) palatial and flat-roofed, while buildings of note were enormously tall and triangular. Very odd, though not unattractive.
We never saw what might, elsewhere, be termed a working class district. Does the imported labour just have to huddle down under motorway bridges or was Mme. giving us the scenic tour?