Yesterday, commercial shops’ owners started implementing the governmental decision of closing their shops at 10:00 pm, in order to rationalise electricity consumption, however, things were a bit different for craft shops’ owners, as the decision stated that they have to close their doors at 07:00 pm and open at 08:00 am.
It is noteworthy that the closing decision extends until the last Thursday of next September, and in case of violating the decided closing schedule, the violator shall receive a written warning, and if they keep violating the decision, their shops shall be closed for a month.
Ali Ramadan, an auto electrician workshop owner, described the decision as “unsuccessful”, adding, “the market was already suffering”, amidst the crisis of increasing prices and lack of demand, clarifying that he will not close his workshop if there were customers, “especially if there were no customers the whole day”.
Ramadan doesn’t have specific opening hours, confirming that, “there is no definite time for the power outage, as the electricity is cut daily with changing times”.
A single energy saving bulb!
Shahira Al-Sayed, sewing workshop owner, agreed with Ramadan, for she is forced now to reduce her working hours following the closing decision, denouncing its application, “I work alone in my shop and use a single energy saving light bulb and a single sewing machine, how come it is fair to follow such decision?!”.
Shahira does not know now how she will meet her financial obligations, “I have instalments, payments, and I need to eat and drink!”.
Hassan, a pseudonym of a metal workshop owner, said that his shop will be affected by the decision of opening at 07:00 am, adding, “I open my shop at 10:00 am and can’t open it before that, for the metal cutting sounds will annoy my neighbours”, added to this, the power outage schedule is irregular in his neighbourhood.
A successful decision
Yasser Abdulmutaleb, a worker in a gypsum workshop, believes that the new decision will disrupt the work as they open the shop in the afternoon, whereas the power outage lasts for three hours, from 04:00 pm to 07:00 pm, the thing that will affect his income.
Hassan finds it difficult to close the shop at 07:00 pm, as the nature of his work in the shop is unspecified, his work requires undefined working hours in delivering products to the customers, “my works is related to certain seasons, sometimes there is too much pressure and sometimes not”, the craftsman wishes the government would find other solutions to solve the power cutbacks crisis, instead of closing the commercial shops.
Things are different for engineer Tareq Abdulkareem, glass workshop owner, for the closing decision won’t affect him as he already closes at 07:00 pm, and he thinks it is a wise decision to reduce electricity consumption.
Mahmoud Sayed, Furniture refinishing shop owner, agreed with Tareq, for he also closes his shop at 07:00 pm. He suggests that other workshops find other ways to deal with customers, like writing their phone numbers on the workshop door and connect with them remotely, and that customers should appreciate the new decision and deal accordingly.
