Ras Zuwayed traders and residents 'frustrated' with rising illegal activities

NOB | Sona P S

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Businesses and residents of Ras Zuwayed have expressed growing fear over anti-social activities such as illicit street hawking, gambling, and begging thriving in the locality.

Local people believe that if authorities neglect to take quick action, the situation will pose a severe threat to the area in Sitra. According to people who shared their concerns with the News of Bahrain, the upsurge in such activities is most evident during the weekend.

According to sources, Ras Zuwayed in the Southern Governorate has been struggling with the problem of illicit street selling, which includes various items like vegetables, fruits, meat, and clothing, particularly on Fridays. These commodities are sold in unsanitary circumstances, violating existing stipulations.The problem worsens every week as the number of vendors grows.

The presence of such a large crowd encourages criminal behaviours like begging and gambling.

Engaging in illegal street vending, begging, and both land-based and online gambling is strictly prohibited in Bahrain. The government has already implemented stringent measures to combat gambling-related activities in the Kingdom.

"Although the authorities have made several efforts to remove the illegal gatherings, the sellers return as soon as the authorities leave," said an affected resident.

Rising complaints

A woman who manages a grocery store in Ras Zuwayed stated that unlicensed street sellers represent a serious danger to legally licenced supermarkets and small shops that operate after paying all the government fees.

"These genuine businesses are consequently experiencing significant losses and may be forced to even shut down if relevant authorities fail to act," said the female entrepreneur, who asked not to be named.

The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and high inflation rates have already challenged Bahrain's retail sector.

Supermarket and cold store owners are struggling to pay heavy rent for their shops and are facing difficulty meeting their expenses. If these illegal sellers fearlessly continue their activities, our businesses, which are run legally, will end up at a loss, forcing us to shut down."

Meanwhile, it is undeniable that street hawking poses several issues, including traffic congestion, environmental pollution, visual pollution, reduced food safety, and difficulty disposing of garbage generated by the offenders.

Unable to endure the scenario anymore, business owners and citizens used the Tawasul App to register complaints against street sellers.

Following these complaints, authorities made efforts to remove the illegal vendors from the neighbourhood.

"However, as soon as the police and other officials leave, all the illegal activities return, including begging and gambling," said residents.

"The LMRA, Labour Ministry, and Interior Ministry should take legal action as quickly as possible and impose harsh penalties to ensure we get our neighbourhood back."