Kuwait Food Truck Owners Call it Quits in Face of Curbs
Meanwhile, Hamdan Al-Abdullah believes that mobile cart projects are on the verge of extinction for several reasons, the most important being that a large segment of citizens travel abroad for their summer vacations, coupled with the fact that Kuwait is not a tourist country. He explained that many citizens do not accept mobile carts parking in front of parks located in private residential areas. Also, some official service agencies refuse to allow young entrepreneurs to park their mobile carts in the squares in front of their buildings. Young Kuwaitis who own carts specialized in printing services also face a lot of problems. In a related context, Hamoud Al-Ali said obstacles in obtaining licenses are ongoing, and they are no longer allowed to park in vital areas that could boost sales. Most of the locations permitted by the relevant authorities are in places with little to no activity, although a young entrepreneur may pay KD 30,000 to purchase a fully equipped cart.
Comply
He called for allowing mobile carts to park in vital areas such as busy and tourist markets like Souk Mubarakiya. In this regard, Haitham Al-Mutairi stated that mobile vehicle owners comply with all health and environmental requirements but must be allowed to park in the most important areas, especially investment zones. He stated that although there are approximately 3,250 mobile vehicles, parking spaces are limited to only 300, most of which are unprofitable, forcing 30 percent of project owners to cease operations completely. Al-Mutairi also highlighted other issues they face, such as the ban on transferring ownership of mobile vehicles, which creates further problems, as a young person who completes his project must then apply to the Civil Service Commission to obtain a job. For his part, a mobile commercial vehicle owner, who preferred to remain anonymous, called for the removal of all obstacles facing mobile vehicle project owners, especially since their number currently exceeds 4,000 vehicles. He explained that the problems are huge, particularly because many project owners have obtained loans from the 'Fund.' Due to these obstacles, the future looks extremely difficult for some, with several owners having already frozen their activities.
Locations
He affirmed the importance of providing access to vital locations rather than remote ones, noting that out of approximately 340 locations, only about 40 are favorable, while the rest are difficult for conducting business. In addition, Khaled Al-Majdami, owner of a mobile cart project, said the biggest problem they face is the prohibition on parking in vital locations, despite these projects being considered small businesses. He emphasized that all parties should support the owners of these projects, especially since they chose this path and have helped reduce the burden on the government by creating jobs. He expressed hope that the relevant authorities would allow mobile vehicles to park in areas near investment zones that witness crowds of both citizens and expatriates, as well as permit them to operate in major markets without issuing violations against mobile cart owners.
Meanwhile, an informed source at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry explained that the ministry grants mobile cart licenses if the required conditions are met. These conditions include that the applicant must be at least 21 years old and not a government employee, along with the necessity of committing to practice only permitted activities. The ministry is not strict with mobile cart owners but requires them to obtain licenses, especially since there are convenient options to submit applications online through the ministry's website. It also mandates that approved parking spaces must not be violated. Other requirements for selecting locations include ensuring they offer suitable environmental conditions and do not disrupt traffic. The ministry has provided about 300 parking spaces, and project owners can choose their preferred location. It requires project owners not to engage in two activities simultaneously, such as preparing meals and making coffee at the same time. The cart must be equipped with adequate lighting, and the area designated for selling must be thermally separated from the food preparation area. Also, the mobile cart must not be older than 10 years.
The source stressed that the mission of the ministry's inspection teams is to protect consumer health and ensure the quality of products offered by these project owners. He went on to explain that when the ministry receives complaints about carts parking in front of homes and causing inconvenience, it is natural to take action to ensure the comfort and safety of residents. This is especially important since the requirements for approved mobile cart parking locations include access to energy, water, electricity, and sewage facilities. The source stressed that it is illogical for applicants not to obtain a license according to legal procedures, clarifying that the ministry is not responsible for the rising number of applications, as these projects are considered a type of business governed by supply and demand.
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