Losses could be more than Dh432m (Bush's Trip to Dubai)

[JCMach1]

Source: Gulf News

Dubai's economy may have suffered a loss of more than Dh432 million as a result of the shutdown caused by US President George W. Bush's visit, according to estimates based on the emirate's gross domestic product.

Dubai's GDP in 2006 reached Dh157 billion (nearly $43 billion). If trade comes to a standstill, then the emirate, the Gulf's largest trading hub and the major supply line, might have just lost Dh1 billion in export, import and re-export business for the day.

Dubai's first-quarter trade crossed Dh91.71 billion last year, translating to a total annual trade volume of Dh366.85 billion.

While the financial loss due to suspension in business activities may be quantifiable, it is difficult to put a value on lost opportunities, business analysts said, speaking on condition of anonymity...

Read more: http://gulfnews.com/nation/General/10182078.html

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$$$ Loss, who cares... visit by commander bunnypants, PRICELESS...

[JCMach1]

1. Some of the traffic chaos caused

Even for Dubai traffic, it was excessive. For one man Monday, it took seven hours to travel from his home to work, a distance of 27km.

Matthew, who left Sharjah at 8am to reach his workplace on Shaikh Zayed Road, said he spent seven hours on the road on Monday. He finally reached his office at 3pm.

"It was wonderful on the empty Emirates Road," he said, till he reached Defence roundabout (first interchange). "The nightmare began here," he said, who adds that information was the main casualty. "Nobody knew what we should do."

Wrong way

"This is extraordinary, how can one man bring everything to a halt like this?" said Ruth Law, who was taking a flight to Bangkok, commenting on the lockdown of the city yesterday... http://gulfnews.com/nation/Traffic_and_Transport/10181950.html

[awoke_in_2003]

7. "how can one man bring everything to a halt like this?"

We have been asking that for seven years.

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

2. Dubai can afford it----- they wanted Bush there,they got him

[existentialist]

3. I remember similar efforts at quantification

a couple of years ago when he visited Europe. Among other things, all traffic on the Rhine River was shut down for several hours for heightened security.

Also his huge motorcade and insistence on his own security angered people throughout Europe.

[JCMach1]

4. All for the Creepy photoOP which you can find in GD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2685245

[Doctor_J]

5. I wonder what it's like to be Smirk, knowing that

every night when you go to bed, a few million more people hate your guts.

[AndyTiedye]

6. They Had to Make Sure Nothing Happens to Bush** or…