News

Hijazi and Al-Sharif inspect the commercial market conditions and preparations for Eid al-Adha

Sidon Municipality – Media Office

The Mayor of Sidon, Engineer Mustafa Hijazi, and the President of the Sidon and Surroundings Merchants Association, Mr. Ali Al-Sharif, toured the Sidon commercial market to inspect its conditions and preparations for the blessed Eid al-Adha, and to follow up on the plan for regulating the downtown area and removing violations and encroachments on sidewalks.

The tour was attended by municipal council members Wael Qassab and Khaled Afara, members of the administrative board of the Merchants Association Mahmoud Hijazi, Mohammad Jomaa, and Naji Darzi, as well as the Commander of Sidon Municipal Police, Badr Al-Qawwam, accompanied by the municipal police force.

The tour began in front of the municipality building with an inspection of the ongoing maintenance work at the renovation and lighting workshop of the roundabout and fountain in Al-Najma Square. It then extended through Al-Awqaf, Al-Mutran, Al-Qashla, Al-Shakeriyeh, and Fakhr El-Din streets, where the delegation reviewed preparations for Eid al-Adha and directly observed violations and encroachments on sidewalks and main streets in front of some shops and by fixed and mobile street vendors. Hijazi instructed the municipal police to require offenders to remove the violations, under penalty of issuing violation reports.

The delegation also listened to some traders’ remarks regarding the main issues affecting the market, most notably violations, in addition to the waste problem and the need to organize sidewalks and maintain infrastructure.

Hijazi stated that “the purpose of this tour is to assess the condition of the market and people in preparation for the holiday, and within the framework of organizing the commercial center, because at times matters become disorganized to the point where there is no space for cars or for people to walk in the market. The goal is organizational, especially under the difficult economic conditions we are going through, which we take into consideration, but within certain limits—without distorting the public appearance or obstructing walkways and sidewalks—so that people can still come down and shop, especially during the holiday week. Therefore, this tour was held today, and there will, God willing, be daily tours, with continued follow-up during Eid al-Adha and after it.”

For his part, Al-Sharif noted that “the tour is an inspection of the market and the traders, to put an end to the issue of disorder regarding violations and encroachments on sidewalks and others. Of course, we are not against livelihoods, but there must be regulation of the commercial market, taking into account the interest of the city and the preservation of its markets. This tour comes on the eve of the holiday week, but the issue is not limited to the holiday period; rather, it relates to the general condition of the commercial center, because the continuation of the situation in this manner is no longer acceptable. What is required is more seriousness, monitoring, and daily follow-up.”