MAKKAH – Hisham Shili, director of investment development at the Mayoralty in Makkah, has said that women are entitled to open and operate women-only cafes if the conditions and requirements of the mayoralty, the Hai’a and other government bodies are met.
Shili, speaking at the Real Estate and Construction exhibition here on Monday, said that the market is open for everyone and the mayoralty treats men and women equally when it comes to granting licenses. He said, “There are a large number of Makkah women participating in the exhibition, which is especially significant as the exhibition is being held here for the first time.”
About 55 companies are participating in the exhibition which has attracted delegations from GCC countries, such as, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, with representatives of other Gulf countries expected to arrive within the next few days, Shili said, adding that attendance was high because of the wide coverage of the event. He said that one Egyptian company was participating which was marketing Egyptian real estate, but that most participants were local companies interested either in real estate or construction.
Responding to a question about large projects and their negative effect on small shops – like barber shops – near the Grand Mosque and the mayoralty’s plan to avoid lack of services, Shili said that the mayoralty was prepared to prevent a lack of service by resorting to seasonal working units as was successfully done last year. Regarding temporary shops – rented out by the mayoralty only during Haj – he said the matter depends on supply and demand. Some locations were empty last year with only 40 of 60 barber shops being occupied.
On the strategy involved in determining the placement of ATMs in Makkah, Shili said the need for the machines in certain areas must be recognized, and then the mayoralty will meet with bank managers to make a final decision. The mayoralty will take care of placing the ATMs, he said, adding that it placed 40 cash machines in Makkah last year, and some in the holy sites for the first time which proved to be very useful.
The mayoralty plans to triple the number of ATMs during Haj this year, he said. The mayoralty also set up six pharmacies in the holy sites during last year’s Haj and medication was sold out in ten days time, which is why more pharmacies will be set up this year. – Okaz/SG