AMMAN — Muhannad Al-Mistarehi, 32, and his brothers, Oqbah and Hamza, have been operating a food stand for a year and three months in Irbid’s Eydun town, but their only source of income was shut down by
Greater Irbid Municipality (GIM) on Sunday evening.
اضافة اعلان
Mistarehi said that he has been working hard with his brothers to make “Manahi”, the the food kiosk project that provides for them, a success, but the three brothers were left with no hope for reopening.
Mistarehi added that he was supposed to get married next July, but his future became unclear after the shutdown.
“Despite the fact that I was trying hard to get a license for the kiosk lest such day would come,” continued Muhannad, “the municipality kept hindering the licensing procedures by referring our papers to the
Food and Drug Administration, which replied with ‘refer your transaction to the municipality.’”
Hamza and Oqab were equally disappointed by the municipality decision, as their workday, between 4pm and 11pm, consists of friends gathering at the food stand, and a lot of talking and joking while they work.
The three brothers agreed that they need facilitations and clear procedures that would allow them to work, especially in light of the absence of job opportunities for young people during the pandemic, which was the reason for them risk opening projects such as trucks and kiosks to begin with.
A similar story was told by Muhammad Jaradat, whose caravan “Grill on the Wheel” was also shut down on Sunday, 10 months after opening. The student said that it was shut down due to the complicated procedures needed for licensing trucks and food stands.
Jaradat’s caravan cost him JD8,000 and the revenues were spent on his tuition fees and paying off debts.
Head of the licensing department at the GIM Hazem Al-Dahadha said that businesses are not allowed in some residential streets, and that there is no item in the law that allows licensing mobile kiosks and trucks, indicating that restaurant-like caravans are not subject to inspection; thus are considered illegal.
“It is unfair that store owners incur licensing costs while people who have kiosks and trucks not only don’t pay, but also compete with licensed stores,” he added, indicating that the municipality has floated tenders 20 tenders for food kiosks this year only, but only four of them were sold.
Dahadha pointed out that 10 caravans and trucks were shut down this week and that the municipality will continue this campaign to preserve the city’s urban scene, which falls under the duties of the GIM.
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