Hawkers cold-shouldered by coldstores

Street hawkers are proving to be a menace for shopkeepers who say it is affecting their business, be it fruits, vegetables, watches or clothes.Aker Ali Sheikh, whose livelihood and that of his family in Bangladesh depends on a vegetable and fruit shop he runs in one of the bylanes of Manama, says it is becoming very tough. “These street hawkers just set up a temporary shop anywhere.“Since they don’t have to pay rent or municipal fees, they can afford to bring down their prices and make a profit, too,” he said, adding that customers would always go where it was cheaper. Another vendor, Indian Babu Ram, voiced similar concerns and said that if the situation did not change, he was not sure how long he could continue his business. “How are we supposed to make ends meet?“There are days when we have to throw out supplies due to a short shelf life, and that means a further loss to us.” A retailer of a readymade garment shop said the municipality needed to do more to ensure hawkers were off the streets.The General Secretary of Manama Municipal Council, Jassim Redha, admitted that this was a major problem that MMC had been trying to solve. “We have put forward new recommendations forbidding expatriates from vending on the streets and stated that it should only apply to unemployed Bahrainis aged above 21. They must not be students nor hold a commercial registration licence or be employed anywhere else.”