Gov’t decision to relax curfew hours draws mixed reactions

AMMAN — Business sector representatives welcomed a government decision to reduce the curfew by two hours as of Saturday. 

According to the new decision, the partial curfew starts at 11pm and 12 midnight for institutions and public movement respectively, ending at 6am.

The decision will help boost sales, the representatives said. However, they also called for ending the Friday lockdowns as the weekend day is vital for businesses.

“We demand the end of Friday lockdown since 40-50 per cent of the sales rate are usually on Fridays. The public were negatively affected by the curfew,” said Khalil Haj Tawfiq, the head of Amman Chamber of Commerce. 

The closures have increased unemployment rates in the Kingdom, he stressed. 

Haj Tawfiq called for a comprehensive strategy to revive private sector businesses and support local and international investments.

There must be a plan for the establishment of a national fund to compensate business owners, Haj Tawfiq said.

Ramez Ramadan Abu Lebbeh, owner of a sweet shop, said that the decision would not bring about significant benefits.

“Friday sales represent 35 per cent of the week sales, which is considered double the amount of any week day,” he said.

“Ending the Friday lockdown would really make a huge difference in our sales,” he added. 

The sweet shop owner said that sales dropped by 45-50 per cent since the onset of pandemic until the end of November, he added.

The confectionery sector was not included in the list of worst affected sectors, he said.

Welcoming the decision to reduce curfew hours, a worker in a coffeeshop in downtown Amman, said: “The decision has increased our sales. However, not as much as we expected.”

“The end of Friday lockdowns would really benefit sales,” he said.