KUWAIT CITY, May 30: Several owners and renters of shops in Al-Qurain market, along with some members of the Kuwait Municipality Council, demonstrated Sunday in protest of the decision of the Municipality to close some shops in the market.

The protesters also appealed for the intervention of HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to protect the interests of the small-scale investors.
Latifa Al-Ruzaihan, one of the citizens affected by the decision, condemned the State Ministry of Municipality Affairs, pointing out the latter should shut down companies behind the distribution of expired food products in the local market, instead of the small-scale investors who have not committed any violation. She demanded for the resignation of Minister of Public Works and State Minister for Municipality Affairs Dr Fadhel Safar for disrupting the development process.
Other protesters like Mane Al-Ajmi and Mhalhel Al-Khalid urged the Municipality to disclose the violations allegedly committed by the small investors. It is unacceptable that the ordinary citizens suffer due to an absurd decision, they added.

Meanwhile, Municipality Council member Ahmad Al-Bugaili explained he participated in the demonstration to express his solidarity with the victims of the Municipality’s decision. He wondered why Safar remains firm in his decision not to renew the licenses of the small investors even if he knows the losses they have incurred due to this move. He warned the inability of the Municipality to implement certain laws and regulations might lead to wastage of public and private funds.

Commenting on the issue, MP Saadoun Hammad Al-Otaibi pointed out the suffering of the store owners in the area. He explained he is fully aware of the issue because he has been involved in it since the beginning.

On the Abu Fateera project, Al-Otaibi asserted the store owners have strictly complied with the regulations and have spent huge amount of money to obtain licenses only to be shocked by the decision of the minister. He believes the problem is linked to a grilling request, which included the project, filed by a lawmaker due to a disagreement with his colleague. He said it is disheartening to see the minister taking the side of the proponent of the grilling, in spite of more than 400 court rulings in favor of the store owners, wondering if the minister or the government will pay compensation to the store owners as a result of the court verdict.

MP Naji Al-Abdulhadi said the shop owners should be allowed to resume their activities because they have valid licenses. He asked the minister to punish those proven to have violated the law; otherwise, he should resign.

On the other hand, Municipality Council Chairman Zaid Al-Azmi affirmed his readiness to revise any article in the bylaw of the council to support the demand of the protesters. He also refuted allegations that the council issued decisions to impede the development process. “We are ready to amend the law to achieve our economic development goals,” he added.

Al-Azmi also stressed the need to hold the minister accountable for working against the interests of the young investors in Al-Qurain market. He called on the minister and the premier to grant the shop owners a grace period until a verdict is issued in this regard.

Moreover, Deputy Chairman Shayea Al-Shayea told the protesters that he has submitted a proposal to the Cabinet to grant them a grace period of one year, so they can resume their commercial activities in the area.