Melbourne icon Myer is set to open its first store in Dubai later next year, with a further four Middle Eastern stores to follow. Myer chief executive Bernie Brookes said Dubai shoppers would have the same feeling as if they were walking into Myer Chadstone.
"Culturally and economically I think Dubai has a lot of similarities with Melbourne and indeed Australia” (source)
Maybe Bernie should do a little homework before claiming that Dubai and Melbourne are culturally and economically similar. My previous article about Dubai (See:Emirates – What does it mean to you?) shows that its glitzy appearance belies its dark Islamic heart. For instance, UAE law allows people trafficking, so non-Muslim employees may well be sourced from third world countries, lowly paid or unpaid and subject to cruel treatment. Despite Dubai’s pretensions as an international hub, shari'a courts there act in accordance with traditional Islamic law and practice. This means that acts acceptable in Australia are forbidden in Dubai. For instance, fornication and homosexuality are crimes, as is criticism of the Government and ruling families (punishable by imprisonment). (reference)
The UAE was one of 14 countries in the world that the US blacklisted for human trafficking.
The U.S. State Dpt. 'Trafficking in Persons Report' stated that the U.A.E. is a destination country for men, women and children trafficked primarily from South and East Asia and the former Soviet Union for the purposes of sexual and labor exploitation. The UAE is has one of the worst records of human rights violations in the Middle East. (reference)
Little Camel Jockey resting between races
So Bernie, where’s the cultural similarity with Australia?
Bernie said Myer's first overseas foray would be a 50-50 joint venture with Nakheel Fashion, owned by Dubai's ruling Maktoum family. Australians will be familiar with the Maktoum name, as Bob Ingham recently sold his vast Woodlands Stud to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, for more than $460 million, resulting in his Darley Stud dominating the breeding and racing of thoroughbreds in Australia. (reference)
Sheikh Mohammed was in the news for another reason, when a class-action was filed in the US complaining that he abducted and trafficked thousands of young children from Bangladesh, Sudan and southern Asia for camel races in Dubai, where the children - some of them as young as two - were kept in poor conditions, starved (so as to keep their weight down), abused and forced to take part in a dangerous sport. The use of child camel jockeys was banned in Dubai 13 years ago. (reference)
UAE Ruling elites - Sheikhs from Hell
Let’s now examine Bernie’s claim of economic similarities. International trade functions best if its partners share values such as honesty, trust, reliability and fairness, essential to the functioning of modern economies. But Islam does not share our values: Islam does not see us as equals, viewing infidels, women and blacks as inferior, so there is no fairness. There is no honesty, trust or reliablility, as Islam does not regard it as wrong to lie to infidels.
“Myer expects its Middle East expansion to provide growth and opportunities back home.”
Bernie enthused:
"There will be reverse synergies from this. There will be products in the United Arab Emirates which we will be able to bring back to Australia.”
Yes, Bernie, I’m looking forward to being able to buy my burqua from the Melbourne Myer store. And maybe Myer could also stock a line in canes and whips for husbands to use on recalcitrant wives!
Nakheel Fashion is owned by Dubai's ruling Maktoum family "(Nakheel) will bring their property and HR expertise, local, social and economic structure, and we will bring our brands, our product and our retail knowledge," Bernie said. (refrence) (reference)
14,000 guest workers labour day and night to complete the man made island Palm Jumeirah at Dubai’s Jumeira Beach
Is there anything the Maktoum family doesn’t have its fingers in?
Nakheel Retail is a shopping mall developer and manager as well as a retail brand operator. Its asset portfolio includes Ibn Battuta Mall, the world’s largest themed shopping mall, which will house the new Myer store. (reference)
Nakheel are also involved in Tashyed, the property development joint venture set up by Nakheel and Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) which is developing Jumeirah Heights.
“The project will consist of approximately 250 to 300 apartments, townhouses and villas accommodating a population of more than 1,000 people…The ground-breaking was attended by Yousuf Kazim, Managing Director, Nakheel Joint Ventures, Jumeirah Village and Jumeirah Islands and Ayman Adel Kamal, Chief Investments and Real Estate, Dubai Islamic Bank, both of whom are to be appointed to the Board of Directors of Tashyed."
Nakheel Retail Shopping Malls division to become the largest shopping mall developer in the Middle East by 2012
Ayman Adel Kamal, said:
"Today we are pleased to announce the inauguration project for our joint venture with Nakheel…Nakheel will provide development management, as well as sales and marketing services, with Dubai Islamic Bank supplying banking, mortgage and financial services expertise.” (source)
For more on Islamic finance, see Getting Ready for Sharia, NAB brings Islamic Law to Australia, Just another financial product in the marketplace? and Emirates: coming to a Restaurant near you!
So what makes Nakheel tick?
So what makes Nakheel tick?
“At Nakheel we are driven by the same vision as first expressed by Sheikh Rashid and carried through by Sheikh Mohammed. That vision is for a better way of life for his people. It was a vision with humanity at its heart.
Nakheel shares that vision and that feeling for humanity."
As our Chairman, H.E. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem puts it:
"Nakheel is more than a company - it is a belief. A belief that defies ordinary thinking... when conventional wisdom says no we say yes and make it happen." (source)
Hmm, I wonder if infidels are included in Nakheel’s vision for humanity!
It seems little boys abducted as child jockeys are not part of that vision.
It seems little boys abducted as child jockeys are not part of that vision.
And if Nakheel is a belief, is it a belief based on the supremacy of Islam, which views non-Arab workers as expendable?
Guest workers in a dormitory building, Abu Dhabi, UAE
But they’re right about one thing – conventional wisdom says no to slavery and discrimination against non-Muslims!
Of course, behind all this feverish development, there is the ever-present worry of Islamists bursting the Dubai bubble. Arabs won’t be happy about this, as much of their wealth is invested in Dubai, which they regard as a safe financial haven in the dysfunctional Arab world. With an 80% expat population out of the nearly one million residents in Dubai, there is certainly much for Islamists to be angry about, what with all those infidels contaminating Arabian soil.
Recent travel advice from the UK Foreign Office said terrorists might be planning indiscriminate attacks in places frequented by expatriates..
"There is a high threat from terrorism," an official travel advice notice for the country said. "We believe terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the UAE."The advice says attacks could happen at any time and may target residential compounds, military, oil, transport and aviation interests.
"You should maintain a high level of security awareness, particularly in public places," the advice says.At least 100,000 UK citizens are resident in the UAE and more than one million Britons travelled there in 2006, the British embassy says. Many observers are surprised that Dubai, with its high concentration of westerners and relaxed dress code, has not yet been struck by al-Qaeda-inspired Islamist militants. (reference)
Reading the chatter on a local blogsite, it becomes apparent that there are many disaffected expats in UAE. Just some of the comments:
“Dubai is probably the ONLY country in the world where Govt is 'officially' looting the public. This artificial construction and development has to drop with a major crash in real-estate. If I have 10 million I would rather not invest in a Dubai house where 80% of buyers are speculators.”
.hey.................. when you pay taxes you know what you owe and you know where its going or can ask where its going........when it hits you as fees and other funny form of charges.......... you dont know how much or where is the money going.
LocalExpat said...
"Is it worth all the trouble because the salaries are good?"
Who ever said the salaries are any good? There was a time when a salary of AED 10,000 was considered to be a staggering amount! Now its enough to get by with...
I've been here for five years only. I saw my income increase by 100% since I landed (It's not exceptional luck, just that I was paid peanuts at the beginning)and my expenses skyrocket by 50% plus a year. Do the math and you'll wonder, like I do, what the hell am I still doing here.Sex Trafficking in Dubai
I do agree with Anon: the local government and its institutions are looting the expats' revenues anyway they can. Taxes that are called 100 other names, fees nobody can explain, agency laws to keep market prices controlled by a handfull of powerful families, on anything and everything from foodstuff to clothes through household appliances and telecoms.
Absolutely nothing is done to alleviate the pressure on the expats.
Don't get me wrong, I AM lucky enough to still be (barely)cash positive at the end of the month. I just can't stand the principle of sharing my revenu with the local govt and get nothing in return. (source)
Hey LocalExpat, I hate to worry you, but you could soon be facing a prison sentence for your criticism of the Government and ruling families!
But not to worry - I’m sure you’d get a fair trial under sharia.
Just like Australia eh Bernie!
Let’s hope not. And let’s all say NO TO SHARIA!
Australians celebrate and revere Anzac Day on April 25th each year in remembrance of our brave soldiers who fought in two great world wars to secure our freedom. Every Australian identifies with the slogan “lest we forget” and in services held around the country people reflect on the battles and men who died to secure our freedom. Yet across the world in France, there is one remarkable battle which helped form the Europe we know today and allowed the development of civilization based on Judeo Christian principles. This one famous battle has become known as the battle of Tours and effectively stopped the Muslim advance into Europe. After the death of Mohammed in 632AD, Muslim armies exploded out of the Arabian peninsula to conquer much of the Middle East, expanding across north Africa. From there they crossed into Spain in 711AD and eventually controlled much of al-Andalus by 715AD. It was the victory at Tours by Charles Martel that stemmed the tide and eventually the Muslim marauders were expelled from Spain in 1492 when the last outpost at Granada fell to King Ferdinand of Spain. 
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born, lived, fought and won battles against religious and social oppression in the 17th century Bharat or India. He was a shining star in the Indian firmament and is renowned as a champion of the downtrodden and depressed masses. He was and continues to be an icon for the classes and masses alike and is seen as a rallying point for peasants oppressed by foreign rulers, Pathans and Moghuls alike. Sexually exploited women found in Shivaji Raje a protector, a benefactor and flocked to his Hindavi Swaraj to find solace and feel liberated under his saffron flag. 
Perhaps some readers might be interested to know that January 28 is considered a feast day among Catholics – actually 2 feast days are celebrated on the same day – one is of ST Thomas Aquinas, the great medieval theologian and philosopher who adapted Aristotle to the western Judeo-Christian worldview. . It is also the feast day of a lesser known person – St Peter Nolasco, the great ransomer of captives from the Muslims.
How often in conversation with a Muslim, do they quote Spain as the crowning achievement of Islam, where Muslims, Jews and Christians lived in harmony for about 800 years?
Why do Muslims insist that Jerusalem is their Holy City?
There is a very strongly entrenched view among majority of Westerners today that the three main monotheistic religions Judaism, Christianity and Islam share one common God and therefore despite the obvious differences, the core foundation of these three religions is the same. 
