For decades if not centuries, the UAE has been renowned for its hospitality. Before the forces of modern transportation allowed us to be a plane ride away from one another, people journeyed from far and wide to be part of the UAE’s flourishing economy. It was an exciting time during the discovery of oil when visitors flocked to the UAE and graciously joined us to take part in the creation of the country’s economic foundation. Prices were reasonable, goods where exchanged with a smile, and most importantly, affordable accommodation was abundant. Life was good and many decided to call the UAE their home. Fathers stayed on to raise their children in what they discovered to be a land of opportunity.
As a famous Arab saying goes, there are three things certain in life: birth, death and change. Change is inevitable when growth is involved and our beloved country has gone through rapid change in its charge towards the future. During this miraculous growth over the past few decades, we have allowed ourselves to be swept along by these great waves of change into the unknown. And it has proven to be worthwhile for many. Yet, who are we taking along with us on this voyage?
A friend of mine is one of the children whose parents settled in the UAE during the late 1960s. Brought up in the UAE since birth, he finished his education in this country and settled in a job with the government where he has been working for the past 10 years. Yet, the indomitable, ruthless rise in rents and education costs has forced him to accept the fact that the time has come for him to return to his country of origin. Though he has wisely put away enough money to buy himself a home in his country, his doubts and concerns are focused on how he and family will adapt to this unknown culture he is travelling to. His distress is caused mainly because of his children who consider themselves sons of the UAE. Without any alternative, they will now have to go though the excruciating process of adapting to an alien culture. If he had asked me where is the justice for the years of struggle and hardship his father endured to make a home for he and his brothers in the UAE, I would have had no response to give him for I do not even know where or if the solution to these absurd rents or school fees will ever reveal itself.
This is not a unique case. Many families who have only known the UAE as their home find no choice but to begin making arrangements to return to their countries. It is not only the first but also second generation families to the country who are obliged to start a new life all over again rather than remain here and deal with the cost of living. Grandparents, their children and their children’s children are bidding farewell to what they have known for a lifetime simply because we cannot tell these landlords and school owners that enough is enough. These are the families that were the mortar between the bricks of our constantly growing economy of the UAE.
The consequences of the high rents and education in the country are rippling across the UAE, causing greater damage, the higher they reach. If we choose not to look at this crisis from a humanitarian perspective or to feel ashamed that we are allowing these wholesome families to return home unprepared, then we ought to consider the possible security risk.
In the long run, who will fill the shoes of these hardworking men and women who could not afford to raise their families? I have seen some of their standards of living and I doubt there are other families from any other nationality who can find a deeper bottom to the barrel. That leaves only bachelors who will be able to accept sharing their accommodation and not having to worry about educating their children in private schools. We are not only talking about skilled labour; we are talking about your average executive positions as well. I was unfortunate to come across some of the stories in the newspapers that talk of the gruesome problems that occur when bachelors are forced to live together. Parents who live close to bachelor accommodations tell me they refuse to let their children walk the streets, girls or boys. I live in a strict residential areas where there are fines placed on landlords who allow bachelors to occupy their villas but somehow, they still manage to find under the table arrangements to live there and this troubles many of the residents. A task force has already been put in place to limit the amount of bachelors living in our cities because of the difficulties that arise when they are forced to share accommodation; imagine the majority of occupants in the major cities to be bachelors, more so than now. I am sure the authorities will have their hands full if ever this unfortunate day comes.
There are economic forces at work here which need to be considered, however, I do not see why we cannot accommodate the families which have lived by our side as our neighbours for so long. They have brought value to our culture and aided in our development as a nation. They have worked a lifetime in a foreign country to bring peace and prosperity to their families. After enduring so much only to be told that if they cannot meet the absurd rise in rent and education then they must return to their homeland, which is unfamiliar to them, is both unjust and unwarranted. We understand these landlords and school owners deserve their share for their efforts, yet not to this extent; a line must be drawn.
Taryam al Subaihi is a journalist from Abu Dhabi who specialises in human resources
Taryam al Subaihi