SOS Calls Only

Searching frantically in daily newspaper letters to editors columns, I still haven't seen anyone complaining about the coverage, or lack of it, of the UAE's national mobile phone operator. I have recently moved into one of Dubai's freehold southern suburbs and there is zero mobile signal in my apartment. What makes this even more frustrating is the operator's recently launched advertising campaign, which claims that nationwide coverage reaches even remote mountain, desert and island spots! If it could even remotely reach a few hundred yards off Sheikh Zayed Road...

What price democracy

Some of you may say there is no fun in Man Utd winning almost every title since the inception of the Premiership (just rebranded into Premier League). It's bad for the game and the fans etc, and it's also highly undemocratic for one ruler to have it all. Well, I say that there is nothing good about democracy either, at least democracy in its most modern form. I recently consulted a Greek-Cypriot businessman who sailed from Thailand to Athens on his brand new catamaran to publicise his online book, titled Isokratia (http://www.isokratia.com/). He argues that his is the ultimate socio governing system and has to be adopted by democratic-minded states. I'll tell you one thing. Chris, the author, has a point, many points in fact. What is so great about Democracy today? Do people who vote governments take part in the decision-making process, as indeed was the case in ancient Athens where democracy was invented and flourished? No! Do people, who cast their ballots as an indication of their approval or disapproval of a political party, share the profits with the few who cling onto power? No! Do people, real people, have any chance in being elected prime ministers or members of parliament, if they 1) Don't have the necessary funds and 2) Don't have the blood line association. Democracy in today's world is almost an autocratic regime based on hereditary power rights. Take Greece, the cradle of democracy. Since the 60's the country has been ruled by members of three families! First it was George Papandreou, whose son Andreas ruled in the 80's whose son George is the leader of today's opposition party and ex Foreign Minister. Then it was Constantine Karamanlis, whose nephew and nameshake is Greece's prime minister today. And then you had Constantine Mitsotakis, whose daughter is today's foreign minister and dubbed as the likely successor of today's Prime Minister. Does this sound like a democratic regime? A country that gives equal opportunities to its people, where meritocracy is a given? Not. The irony is that with the exception of one other Prime Minister, the only other persons to have ruled Greece in the last fifty years was a dictator and a Monarch! Sir Alex, the longest serving Premier League coach has spent his last 21 years at Old Trafford and is still as popular as he ever was amongst Man Utd's voters despite his authoritative rule and arrogant winning-all style. Who said that democracy is panacea?

God save the fish & chips

In case you are wondering what's the link between England's ruler and England's favourite food, look no further than Dubai, England's official favourite long-haul tourist destination. A recent radio ad of a UAE telecoms operator used the tune of God Save the Queen with the following lyrics: "Why don't you read our lips, we love our fish & chips our fish & chips..." And oh, yes! This offended a handful of Dubai Brits who protested against the use of their national anthem leading 'du', the offender, to undo what I thought to be a highly creative campaign. A word of friendly advice to my English friends in Dubai. Chill out lads. It's 47 out there! And in any case, the Premier League kicked off yesterday, so get a pint and an extra vinegar, extra salt fish & chips and enjoy the season - if you are a Man Utd fan, you certainly will!

Ever been conned?

Having just returned to Dubai following an 18 months absence, I have reunited with all things I love and hate about this bustling city. The unmatched ambition of this erstwhile little-known desert pocket is still mind-blowing even by Dubai standards - and those of you who live or have visited the place can put this into context. Most of my friends are also still here, which makes it a welcoming comeback. And the emirate's social life seems to be getting more interesting with a plethora of new resaturants, cafes, bars and five star hotels opening almsot on a daily basis. Even traffic looks better following the introduction of a toll post system aimed to divert traffic from a major highway crossing the city to other road arteries circumventing the busy business and tourist trails.

But all this progress comes at a high cost - to be exact, at a personal cost of Euro 20,000. That's the amount I had to involuntarily part with as I fell victim to a highly elaborate rental scam. With Dubai being Dubai and an exponential real estate boom persisting for nearly five years now, residents are required to pay a full year's rent in advance, which I did. In my case however, the property I rented was also rented to three other individuals by the same conman who posed as the villa's legitimate owner, complete with fake paperwork and contracts!

While I have little hope of seeing this money back again, this entry - the first of my new blog - hopes to serve as a deterent to other ambitious fraudsters by alering Dubaians of what lurks beneath the city's glittering skyline. Progress at all cost means that crime Dubai-style is here and will likely stay for as long as the authorities remain reluctant to introduce rules and regulations that will clamp down con artists and other criminals.

Nightmare In Springs

Hello to all Dubaians out there and to my Greek compatriates in particular. Having returned to Dubai after 16 months I have found a completely different city growing faster than a five-year-old on a milk, cereal and vegetables diet. This is not bad necessarily, yet some aspects of modern life Dubai need to be pointed out and serve as a cautionary tale to all of us living in this great city. I recently fell victim of a highly elaborate scam after renting a villa in the Springs which was alos rented out to three other people. To cut a long story short, I lost AED 100,000 and am facing evicition from the rightful owner of the villa as the property was rented to me by a crook who posed as the owner. Having visited the police station almost daily for the last month, I have discovered that this practice is actually rampant in Dubai as I have met many other Dubaians facing a simila predicament. Some have even bought properties that they do not own and paide millions of dirhams which they can't claim back. Everyone out there, beware of fraudsters bearing gifts...It's highly contagious.