By Abdul Aziz Al-Rabie

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

MAKKAH — It seems that the obstacles facing the young men owning food trucks will have no end. Even after Deputy Emir of Makkah Prince Abdullah Bin Bandar gave instructions to facilitate issuing permits for them to carry out their activities without obstacles, young people working in vans, mobile cafeterias or food trucks were disappointed with the conditions set by the municipality.

According to the municipality, vehicles towing food trucks must be owned by their owners in order to be issued permits. The municipality›s stance has put the food truck owners in a dilemma because they cannot afford to buy the vehicles themselves because they cost a huge amount of money.

Young people wishing to work on food trucks requested the municipality to allow transporting or towing the food trucks from one location to another by rental vehicles or vehicles owned by relatives instead of complicating the licensing process and putting obstacles to deprive them of the chance to obtain permits. They demanded that the Makkah Municipality fulfill its promise of simplifying the process of licensing in order to facilitate their work. The municipality, represented by its environmental health department, issued a set of conditions to end the activities of young people working in food trucks. These included restrictions on selling food in the main parking spaces at the entrances to Makkah taking into account the specific nature of each site as well as the interests of other investors. They are also banned from practicing their activities within crowded residential neighborhoods that receive large numbers of visitors.

The municipality advised the young people to identify places that suit the conditions set by the city and do not cause any inconveniences or damage to people or create obstructions on traffic and pedestrian routes. The department of environmental health in branch municipalities are to follow up the implementation of the conditions. The permits are granted to Saudis only and they are not allowed to employ expatriates for the work.

Activities include all permitted foodstuffs, dates, vegetables, and refreshments, provided that the facilities for preparation, handling and safe storage are in place.

Sale of electrical appliances, medicines, perfumes and fireworks are banned. The municipality also specified the requirements in terms of design, form, permitted activities and food safety for such activities.