Controversial early closing hrs for Egypt's shops postponed

[DJKeefy]

Controversial early closing hours for Egypt's shops postponed.

Government delays initiative to shut shops and restaurants early as it sets regulations for implementing decision, affirms Local Development Minister Ahmed Zaki Abdeen Wednesday.

Egypt's government will delay the enforcement of a ministerial decision to shut shops and restaurants early across the country, Local Development Minister Ahmed Zaki Abdeen told private Egyptian TV channel Al-Hayat, late Wednesday.

The new government initiative, which was set to start Saturday, has been postponed "until further notice" as the internal regulations for implementing the decision have yet to be formulated, Abdeen affirmed.

Enforced early closing times was first suggested in August by Petroleum Minister Osama Kamal and approved mid-October, as a means of saving energy.

All retailers were ordered to shut their shops by 10pm and restaurants by 12pm. However, pharmacies and places counted as catering for tourists would be exempt.

Trade and Industry Minister Hatem Saleh told Ahram's Arabic-language news website earlier this month that the new closing times would save the country LE6 billion a year in electricity.

This decision has, however, come under scrutiny as many small shop owners make their living through opening at night after finishing their day jobs.

An argument ensued Wednesday evening between Abdeen and ONTV's television anchor Reem Maged during a televised call-in to her programme, after Maged reported that shop owners had said the decision would cause unemployment and detrimentally affect people's livelihoods.

Abdeen rejected Maged's comments, adding that she had no pretext for her statements and abruptly ended the conversation.

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/56897.aspx

[A-Four]

As I said in a past post,.......there is more to this than meets the eye.

I have to say there seems to be no forward thinking with this present government, and when, and it will, be hit by a serious national problem, will it really seriously be able to respond.

[Maakari]

I think there will have been a collective "PHEW" from the Egyptian population today!
To them the saving of electricity pales into insignificence when put along side earning a wage to put food in their families mouths.
To us Brits 24hr tesco/Asda etc is a great idea, but not essential to our wages or lives, to the People of Egypt the night has been a time to do another job to supplement low wages, it is a time for families, a time to shop(especially in the heat of the summer, or Ramadam) it is a time for men to do business in the time honoured way of sitting together over a Chai and a Shisa pipe, it is so much more than just saving electric, it is changing the way things have been conducted in Egypt for centuries.
So for the time being, Status has been quoed!
I hope these ministers do some thinking on their policies before trundling them out in future, InSha'Allah.

(PS. I owe my T'other half 5le. He is in Hurghada doing some work and he said last monday "hear me tonight and remember what I said, this will not happen!" How he will gloat that he, not me was right for a change! ) As he has got used to saying to me "yes Dear, next question?) so I will say to him!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bearded Brian]

, it is changing the way things have been conducted in Egypt for centuries.

The ancient egyptians may have had light bulbs (as depicted at Denderra) but I don't think Egypt has had electricity for centuries so for a lot of egyptians it would only be a step back 5-10 years. Not that I agree with the shutting of shops etc just pointing out that some of the 'problems' caused by cutting the electricity would be overcome by returning to the not so old 'old ways'.

[TonyC]

The latest on closing times...

A dispute with business owners over a government plan to close shops early ended with an agreement to extend the closure time to 12 am, Prime Minister Hesham Qandil said Monday.

The government had said that its new plan would aim to cut down electricity consumption. Critics think the law is misguided, saying the country’s commercial activity is mostly focused in the evening due to its hot climate.

The prime minister’s Facebook page said Qandil had approved the outcome of the agreement between the industry and foreign trade minister, Hatem Saleh, and the Federation of Egypt Chambers of Commerce. Both parties have agreed to start implementing the plan on 1 December, with stores closing at 12 am and restaurants at 2 am.

The new measure would exclude pharmacies and gas stations. It would also allow restaurants to deliver food, and to continue 24-hour home delivery services.

Workshops that create excess noise, except for those working in tire maintenance in rural and urban areas, should close at 9 pm, the plan stipulates. Commercial stores would close at 12 am in urban areas and 11 pm in rural areas, it adds.

Bright lights should be switched off two hours before closure, and restaurants would close at 2 am, with lights switched off at 12 am, according to the plan.

The government’s declaration of its new plan late October enraged business owners, and the government delayed it for further discussions.

“The decision will be applied gradually starting 1 December until full implementation on 31 April,” the prime minister’s Facebook page said.

An electricity crisis during the summer caused major recurrent power outages nationwide. The government pledged to solve the problem through rationed consumption and increased production.

http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/pm ... sing-times

I don't know whether it's the PM or the Independent who doesn't how many days there are in April!