patience wrote:So let me get this straight the laws of the land are not being adhered to but it doesn't matter because each of you has somebody to get you out of jail. That just about sums up all that is wrong with the f******** judiciary, the laws are not applied to everybody, those that have enough wasta can do what the hell they like. Fantastic I think that you have proven my point. Thank you.
-- Tue May 24, 2011 12:34 am --
PS DK I was only joking about the environment!!!! I'm well aware of what a green city Dubai is.
Not necessarily correct patience, let me explain. Certain nationalities of expats have a blind eye turned for certain things. Half the people I know life together unmarried, so long as you don't annoy your neighbours or get into trouble then no one has any reason to check - unless some evil person decides to snitch/grass/whatever for some malicious reason! It's merely because under Sharia law and Islam in general, opposite s.exes, who are not married cohabiting is deemed Haram! (Technically my boyf doesn't exist here, so you'd be hard pressed to prove I'm living with a ghost! - plus nothing is in our name, so we don't exist in our residence or for the utilities etc)
The same with the alcohol license, they authorities turn a blind eye - that one is ALL about money! They will only catch you for it, if you do something stupid whilst under the influence, or hold noisy parties and whatnot.
But then the same can be said for the number of hookers there are here? Locals in national dress drinking in bars - all illegal, but a blind eye gets turned. Cripes, even using a maid that is not on your sponsorship or from an agency is illegal - did you know that? And that carries a 100,000 Dhs fine! There's actually quite a good equilibrium, until you get nosey beaks and meddlers.
If you get pulled up for something, there's only a certain window for the use of 'wasta' as they call it. Once any case gets passed to the court you've had it!
As is the way of the world, it's not necessarily what you know, but who you know and it's always extremely useful to have a couple of people up your sleeve in this place!
I've worked pretty closely with the police on various campaigns in the past, so good relationships have been formed.