KD 300,000 loss incurred by traders of imported fish

Atmosphere at new location neither helpful nor comfortable

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 9: There was an increase in the complaints of traders of imported fish during the first two days of the application of the decision to transfer the fish market in Al-Mubarakiya to Sharq. Majority of the complaints were concerning the losses they incurred, reports Al-Rai daily.

The traders said the total loss they incurred reached about KD 300,000.

This crisis prompted the traders to meet the Capital Governor to request for a solution to the problem. They also went to Kuwait Municipality to meet the Director General Ahmed Al-Manfouhi but the latter was not able to meet them due to some administrative engagements.

Ali Al-Houli, who is one of the major traders of imported fish, said the decision was taken randomly and was not based on any serious studies.

He lamented that he incurred a

loss of KD 1,000 in the first two days of the implementation of the decision, adding that state bodies including Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) and Kuwait Municipality as well as administration of Sharq Fish Market are on a war footing against the traders of imported fish.

Another trader Fares Bu Qumaz stressed that the atmosphere of the new location is neither comfortable

nor helpful.

He emphasized about the obstacles practiced by the employees who treat them as traders of local fish, revealing that that one of the employees issued a citation against him under the pretext that the size of the fish is small. Bu Qumaz urged the concerned official bodies to revise the decision.

Meanwhile, Head of Kuwait Fishermen Association Dhaher Al-Souyan affirmed that the decision has resulted in huge losses for

the traders.

“If the crisis is not solved, more dangerous consequences can be expected,” he said, indicating that the crisis will negatively affect consumers.

Al-Souyan stressed that the transfer of the imported fish market to Sharq will pave way for cheating in terms of mixing imported fish and local ones, insisting that the Kuwait Fishermen Association is completely against the decision.