CAIRO - Working as a street vendor in Ramses Square, one of the Egyptian capital's largest squares, Adham Saeed carelessly shrugged his shoulders when he learned that the Government had taken a decision to suspend daylight saving time (DST) during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. "It is not new; the Government does what it wants without caring for the people's opinion. That's why I for one, as a vendor, don't care about this," said Saeed, 36, while paying attention to the would-be buyers examining Chinese-made toys held on a wooden tray in front of him. "I have fasted in Ramadan since I was eight. This is the first time that the Government has considered reducing the hours of fasting, despite their occurrence in some years that have been much hotter than this summer," Saeed remarked. Egypt's Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif announced on Monday that Egyptians have to adjust their clocks and watches on August 10, putting them back by one hour, just a day before Ramadan starts the next day, according to the Meteorological Authority. Nazif, quoted by Cabinet spokesman Magdi Radi, added that the nation will shift back to summer DST on September 9, putting the hour forward until the end of September. "The main aim behind this daylight saving time is saving energy and making use of the daylight. Stopping it in Ramadan is very helpful for Egyptians, who work for long hours during the hot summer," said Ali Qotb, the head of Egypt's Meteorological Authority. He hailed the decision as correct to spare Muslim worshippers, who are fasting in hot weather for long hours, leading to health and work problems.Sheikh Abdel-Moeti Bayoumy, a member of the Council for the Islamic Affairs, pointed out that the Islamic Sharia had nothing to do with the daylight saving, stressing that Muslims cannot break their fast until after t sunset. "Yes, the Prophet Mohamed urged us to end the fasting as soon as possible. However, the breaking of it is related to sunset, never before," Bayoumy told the Egyptian Gazette. He noted that the Government decision does not contradict the Sharia (Islamic law). Modern DST was first proposed in 1895 by New Zealand scientist George Vernon Hudson. The practice has aroused controversy. Although an early goal of DST was to reduce evening usage of incandescent lighting, formerly a primary use of electricity, modern heating and cooling usage patterns differ greatly, and research about how DST currently affects energy use is limited or contradictory. "I completely reject such a decision. Simply speaking, DST was applicable in Egypt around 20 years ago. What is the benefit [now]? None. Energy usage is the same and production has never increased due to DST," said Yoman el-Hamaqi, the deputy head of the Shura Council' Economic Committee. Nevertheless, she criticised the decision to suspend DST during Ramadan. "It is illogical for the Government to intervene in order to reduce the hours of fasting," she said. Khaled Farouq, an accountant at a telecom company, also lashed out at the decision, saying that the Government should have taken people's opinions on such a move that could directly affect their lives. "Daylight Saving Time was a socialist invention to urge people to eat twice a day rather than three,” Farouq claimed. “Socialism has ended but the system is still applicable.” The time in Egypt is usually two hours in advance of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Summer time or DST is usually effected at midnight on the last Thursday in April and continues until the last Thursday night in September.
