Two days after the Villaggio fire, many Doha residents are still on edge. In particular, we’ve received a number of comments and complaints about how smoking inside malls continues.

One reader, Debbie, shared her frustration about it with us in an email:

I am so frustrated, after attending the mass last night as the three Spanish children were my husband’s work colleagues’ children, I go to Landmark Mall today and Starbucks is hosting tons of smokers!  I confronted one table and no one could believe I would say anything! Who am I? Just a woman, just a foreigner.

I went to security who laughed and said they have no authority to do anything…

I went to the mall manager who also said he has no authority to even talk to these smokers….

I cried….

I called the police….they transferred me to somewhere….a recording in Arabic….no answer.

What is it?  Everyone is afraid of losing their job! Complainers are thrown out?  There is security with no authority?  Is it any wonder that they either aren’t trained to evac for fires or that people don’t listen to them!???

This smoking inside malls has to STOP!!!!  Please, you have followers, tweet it out !!! Ask for help! Get people involved for this change!!! Fear of retribution has to end!

Debbie

Credit: Photo by Laurence Currie-Clark