Shop owners lament losses as dreams reduced to ashes
Mubarakiya market scenario paints bleak picture
KUWAIT CITY, April 26: The Mubarakiya market resembles a ghost town that was bustling with activity during the holy month of Ramadan with people from all walks of life frequenting this market to buy all their needs during the fasting month.
With the Eid al-Fitr, just around the corner, the Mubarakiya heritage area continues to haunt with shoppers remembering those happy days when people thronged to this markets but today the devastation left behind by the inferno tell a different tale with the smell of smoke still lingering in the air.
The story continues, and misfortunes follow the owners of the shops which the fire razed to the ground adding to the woes of the victims who continue to face hardships and adversities as the scenario paints a bleak picture of what lies ahead for them and their shops. The question written in bold letters on the horizon is: Will they be compensated and if yes, what will the compensation be like, reports a local Arabic daily.
While the markets witness a great movement before Eid, Mubarakiya markets are still suffering from the effects of the fire that afflicted everyone, while visitors to the market take pictures to document the extent of the destruction inflicted on large parts of the arms market.
The daily visited Al-Mubarakiya markets to monitor movement and activity, in preparation for the Eid, and noticed that this year is not like the previous ones.
Al-Khudari added that “the repercussions of the market fire are negative for everyone, due to the accumulation of debts, damage to goods and the missed opportunity for the Eid season, which is one of the opportunities that comes once a year, and the return to normal life after a spell of two long years hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He hoped there will be speedy compensation
for shop owners by restoring the power supply to shops that have survived the fire. He added, it is surprising the power supply has not resumed and added some shop owners use lamps to receive customers.
Sajid Amjad, one of the owners of the burnt shops, said that “the loss is great, all the goods that were in the shop were reduced to ashes,” and sadly remembers the days when the Mubarakiya market was bustling with customers during Ramadan and before Eid, especially the perfume market, which is the largest perfumes market in Kuwait, “but as you can see it everything has disappeared due to the devastating fire.” He stressed that “all shop owners and workers feel the pain, because of the fire that killed our dreams.”