August 2004

24/08/2004
Bahrain grapples with confusion and chaos
Vol XXVII NO. 157 Tuesday 24 August 2004

By Amira Al Hussaini

Chaos and confusion. This is what yesterday's major blackout - sorry for using the word as it insults some officials - brought to Bahrain.

The phones did not stop ringing all morning, as if they ever do in our office. People who couldn't get through to the Electricity and Water Ministry expected to find instant answers to their questions with the GDN. They wanted to know what happened, how long will the cuts go on for, what to do and where to go. Somehow, we had lost our crystal ball and had no answers for them because we too found it difficult to speak to officials in the confusion which followed.

Among the callers was my granddad, who was stuck in his fourth floor office, because the lift wouldn't work.

"Take the stairs," I ventured.

"And how do I return back to my office if the power is not back soon. I will not climb up the stairs again," responded my old wise man.

Yes, climbing downstairs is easier than climbing upstairs and every person who has made his way to the top, on his own, would know that.

My young sister too announced that she will pamper herself with a candle-lit bath. Great, I thought to myself, the last thing I would want is a fire at home if the half-wit forgets to put them off afterwards.

Others decided to spend the day around pools. Those too were complaining that they weren't comfortable because the filters were not on. Those more privileged, who wanted to go out on boats too, had their dreams shattered when they discovered that their air-conditioned luxury yachts ran on fuel and most petrol stations were shut.

Contacts described themselves as being warm and "sitting like lemons" in their offices, too afraid to leave for cooler pastures, thanks to "gridlock traffic" because the lights were not working. Like we need the traffic lights to go off for the maniacs on the street to show off their acrobatic skills behind the wheel.

The area around Seef Mall and Al A'ali Shopping district was also literally "raided" by people, who were excused from their offices until the electricity was back on. Unfortunately, for them all, the malls too were SHUT. At least, they could test their driving skills in the mayhem caused by road works in that area.

Despite the complaints, our office was cooler than usual. The generators kicked in as soon as the power was off. Never mind we were confused, had no peace, felt the pain others were going through and could not order food because most restaurants were closed thanks to the blackout!



10:45 Posted in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (3) | Email this

22/08/2004
Smart girls in a world of their own
Vol XXVII NO. 155 Sunday 22 August 2004

By AMIRA AL HUSSAINI

Figures speak volumes... or so they say. The fact that Bahrain University has accepted 2,039 girls and just 971 boys only for the new academic year makes me think that maybe, just maybe, I am wrong and it was a good idea to segregate our national institution of higher education after all.

In fact, it seems to be a matter of time before this futuristic vision sees light.

Imagine a university full of smart girls only. Never mind that they will all graduate one day and work in 'mixed' environments with men who couldn't make it to university because their grades were too low.

At least then girls will be able to compete against ambitious girls of their stature, who have nothing else on their mind other than to graduate with top grades, and then marry their knights in shining armour.

Now that is a very noble cause. Every girl, no matter how smart she is and at least each and every girl I know, has only one thing on her mind - and that is to ultimately get married one day.

If the mothers of our future generations are graduates from a women-only university with tip-top grades, then there is no harm in that, is there?

They will all be educated in an environment which protects them from men and shelters them from some of the perverse reactions, such as - God forbid - friendship and admiration, they might share with members of the opposite sex.

The fact those girls can focus on their studies, earn high grades and beat all the other boys to places at the university, while at the same time being totally obsessed with the idea of marriage, is amazing to say the least.

That they can work and fantasise at the same time shows that they are a gender to reckon with and show some admiration to, even if they are only girls, who will end up being mothers and grandmothers one day.

I have met girls of all ages and backgrounds and no matter how smart they are and how high their grades at high school and university were, conversations with them always end up with discussions of how their lavish wedding ceremonies would be and of their choice of future husbands.

This is only natural and for as long as there are women and men, people will continue to fall in love, get married and perhaps even have sex - to keep the human race going.

Now this is a frightening thought. How can we trust girls with such morbid thoughts? A woman thinking of marriage, sex and children? It must be the end of the world, for such 'feelings' are reserved for men only.

Thank God, boys are not faring so well at high school and hopefully one day the number of boys accepted at Bahrain University will drop so low that it will not be feasible to have a co-ed university anymore.

I feel that it is a natural process and one which could see light soon. Then our girls will grow up pure and chaste in a women-only environment.

Until then, I hope a smart man comes up with a potion which inhibits girls from thinking the way they do because it would be really dangerous then to have so many educated women with pent-up emotions and dreams and nowhere to realise them, because it has become unnatural for them to aspire to do what God has created them for.



10:45 Posted in Silly Boys , Women's Affairs | Permalink | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (14) | Email this

02/08/2004
Airport porters give fellow Asians the brush-off
Vol XXVII NO. 135 Monday 2 August 2004

BY AMIRA AL HUSSAINI

Have you ever heard of the crab mentality?

It is when crustaceans climb on top of each other to reach the summit, regardless of what happens to those crushed at the bottom.

I witnessed a similar phenomena - this time involving human beings - at the Bahrain International Airport the other night.

Rows of porters, from various Asian countries, lined up the roadside, along the entrance to the departures lounge.

The minute a car pulled up, they all rushed to help unload the luggage. If the passenger was an Arab or European-looking, he got the help intended for all passengers, regardless of their colour, race and creed.

If he was Asian - Indian, Bangladeshi or Pakistani - he was left to fend for himself.

It was a repulsive scene which said a lot about the mentality of people here. Isn't it ironic that there is a hierarchy even in menial jobs? You are rendered services depending on who you are, what your colour is and what your race is - even by people who are oppressed and discriminated against.

You would think that those down-trodden people would at least be sympathetic towards others in the same boat. Think again.

There was an instance when a Bangladeshi worker got out of a car and started loading boxes and bags onto a trolley. As he was trying to make his way up the walkway into the airport, he lost his step and all his boxes and bags came tumbling down. The reaction from the porters - the Asians from the sub-continent turned their backs to him. It was a Filipino or Nepalese porter who came to the rescue and helped him put together all that he had toiled so many years in Bahrain for.

I couldn't stop wondering why those people behave in such a manner and look down on people of their kind. Why is an Arab or a Westerner worthy of respect and service, but not a passenger from their own countries.

Those porters are employed by the airport for the convenience of all passengers. I checked for notices and it didn't say anywhere that the passengers had to be Arab or white to be served by the porters.

Another issue that screams for attention is why is there an army of Asian porters at the airport. Have all the Bahraini job-seekers found jobs overnight?

The airport could recruit Bahrainis and train them to meet, greet and bid farewell to visitors. They would be great ambassadors, especially if taught humility and respect for people - regardless of whether they will pay them tips or not.



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