Essential

The severity of Dubai’s drug laws was highlighted yesterday when influential British DJ Grooverider was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment for possession of cannabis. Grooverider, the stage name of Raymond Bingham, is widely recognised as one of the founders of the drum and bass movement.

Grooverider was arrested at Dubai International Airport in Novemeber as he flew into to perform at The Lodge nightclub. He had forgotten to remove a joint containing 2.16 grams of cannabis from his trousers.

Earlier this month another British visitor, Keith Brown, was jailed for 4 years after 0.003 g of cannabis was found stuck to the bottom of his shoe. The piece of cannabis was so small that it could not been seen with the naked eye.

Egyptian investment bank EFG Hermes believes that the UAE is likely to revalue the dollar-pegged dirham next year due to the weakening US dollar. The company says the move is necessary to cut inflation in the UAE, currently running at just under 10 percent.

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has announced some pretty impressive statistics for the 9 months to September 30 2007.

Speaking at the World Travel Market in London last week, DTCM Director General, Mr. Khalid A bin Sulayem revealed that the number of guests staying in hotels in Dubai rose 7 percent to 5.1 million while hotel occupancy rates rose 4.1 percent to reach 86.9 percent.

Dubai has been ranked the 34th most expensive city in the world for expatriate workers according to a survey released by Mercer, the consulting arm of Marsh & McLennan. Moscow heads the list, followed by London, Seoul, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Telecommunications company du has launched a mobile phone product aimed at visitors to Dubai. The Visitor Mobile Line service offers a SIM card and a host of services including pay-by-the-second calls, video calls, video mail, mobile TV and mobile broadband. The service is priced at 70 dirhams includes a 20 dirham credit and is available from du shops and authorised dealers.

Dubai International Airport is aiming to become the world’s most user-friendly airport for special needs tourists. Over the next few months the airport will introduce 20 dedicated immigration counters, 3 new car parking areas and a special route through the airport for special needs travellers.

The Dubai Municipality have announced that smoking restrictions will come into effect on May 31, World No Tobacco Day. Under Phase 1, commencing May 31, smoking will be banned in government buildings, while phase 2, beginning on September 16 will see smoking banned in schools, hair salons, offices, health clubs and internet cafes. Shopping malls will be required to have designated smoking areas. Under phase 3, starting November 15, smoking restrictions will be introduced in restaurants and cinemas.

The government of Dubai has approved a major project to extend the Dubai Creek to the Arabian Gulf. The extension will pass through Sheikh Zayed Road, Safa Park, Al Wasl Road and Jumeirah Beach Park. There are also plans for a public water transport system to help ease traffic congestion. The project is expected to be complete by 2010.

A new tabloid newspaper was launched today. The weekly XPRESS is owned by Al Nisr Publishing and will be distributed for free throughout Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. According to a press release ‘XPRESS will transform the way that stories are told in the UAE, by using a dramatic and reader-focused style and layout that makes it easy and quick for readers to find what they have to. It uses colour, graphics and illustrations to deliver key facts to readers quickly and easily.’

Dubai Police have a new tool to help them determine whether drugs and medicines brought into the country are legal in Dubai. Officers began using the e-Lab at Dubai International Airport this week.

The device is essentially a PDA loaded with a database of drugs, their trade names and legal status. If an officer is unable to identify a drug a picture can be taken and sent to laboratory experts for quick identification. The police are hopeful that this will lead to fewer delays at the airport.