Dubai: In the immediate days after Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum's death the British press published detailed obituaries about the UAE leader. Here are a few highlights.
Gerald Butt in the Independent said that in the 15-year period of his rule, Shaikh Maktoum "put Dubai on the map".
"His success was all the more remarkable when one considers Dubai's ... resources. The Emirate is surrounded by some of the world's largest oil producers ? but thanks to qualities he inherited from his father Shaikh Rashid, who laid the foundation for the current success story, Shaikh Maktoum with the help of his brothers was able to build up his own emirate into a thriving city state with a skyline to compete with Manhattan's. Those qualities were a natural instinct for trade and business and a fearless vision."
Commenting on his role in developing Dubai into a modern international commercial hub Butt writes, "After the death of his father Shaikh Rashid in 1990, Shaikh Maktoum had to ensure two conditions were met. The first was that Dubai should open its doors to all who wanted to trade there and provide them with facilities the second was that politics should not be allowed to interfere with commerce.
Shaikh Maktoum's goal, like that of his father, was to make sure Dubai was as well prepared to go on thriving in the era after oil as it was before.
The Times obituary details the late leader's philanthropic work around the world.
Shaikh Maktoum gained a reputation in the Arab World and beyond as a philanthropist building several mosques and setting up such projects at home and in developing countries as orphanages, schools and a centre for handicapped children.
Major success
The paper then charts perhaps what Shaikh Maktoum was most famous for in Britain; his passion for horse racing and the immense contribution he made to the sport.
"All the brothers had been keen horsemen since their childhood. Shaikh Rashid had introduced them to British racing at Sandown Park during an official visit to London in 1969 an afternoon which paved the way for the establishment of Godolphin, one of the most successful racing teams ever."
The Daily Telegraph obituary writes, "Shaikh Maktoum was the first of the brothers to achieve major success in racing when his colt 'Touching Wood' won both the English and the Irish St Ledgers in 1982. He was elected Honourary member of the jockey club in 1985.
Julian Richmond-Watson, current senior steward of the Jockey club writes in the Independent, "Shaikh Maktoum made a hugely significant contribution to horse-racing and British thoroughbred racing in particular. The majority of his racing interests were based in Britain and I believe he shared with the British racing public a love for horses, racing and of the history and heritage the sport has in this country."
WAM
Shaikh Maktoum
