The Land Transportation Association said the government has so far incurred LE500 million in direct and indirect losses resulting from the truck drivers' strike that started on Friday. “The government has lost the daily fees and taxes levied on land transportation all over the country,” said association director Mostafa al-Noweihy. Truck drivers are protesting a government decision to increase taxes on trucks and fines for excess cargo, as well as a ban on truck drivers using highways on Thursdays and Fridays. The Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce will meet on Monday to discuss the problem. “Truck owners who are members of the federation should not hold strikes before consulting with us first,” said federation's president Ahmed al-Wakil. Meanwhile, Ahmed al-Zeiny, head of the Cairo building materials chamber, said cement companies' deliveries have dropped by 90 percent in just two days. “Deliveries of other types of building materials are expected to drop as well,” he noted. Truck Owners Association member Mohamed Abdel Moneim called for the formation of a syndicate for truck owners and drivers to protect their interests. The grains department of the Federation of Egyptian Industries warned that grain mills and pasta factories would close down as their wheat and flour stocks are depleted and no new supplies are being delivered. It called on the government to resolve the problem in a maximum of two days. “We will have a bread crisis,” said department's director, Ali Sharaf Eddin. “The government prohibits the mills from storing more than a three-day stock.” “Ports have been closed due to the bad weather conditions,” he added. “Now we will need more trucks when they re-open in order to transport the piled goods.” Sharaf Eddin explained that drivers who are not taking part in the strike have parked their trucks, fearing possible assaults by the strikers. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
