CAIRO - Before and after the January 25 Revolution the people of Port Said have experienced hard times due to the recession, since most citizens depend mainly on trade to earn a living. The decree issued by President Mohammed Morsi relating to Port Said's free zone has increased the tax-ree imports, which has given new hope to people. According to Port Said's Governor Ahmed Abdullah, the decree will also revive trading, boost people's income and create new jobs. He pointed out that the governorate's development plan would not put restrictions on the commercial sector but include developing the industry and tourism. Currently available investments would attract further local and foreign funds, while Port Said's industrial zone already witnessed remarkable achievements in the manufacture of clothing, food, chemical products, wood and paper. Thus the number of enterprises reached 168, including 48 production companies, while 26 were under construction. 19,057 Egyptian and foreign employees worked in Port Said. Mohamed el-Masri, the head of Port Said's Chamber of Industry and Commerce, said that since 2002 the citizens had been suffering from the previous regime's decision to abolish the free zone. The local market was hit by severe recession; the average incomes decreased and unemployment grew. El-Masri explained that the previous free zone was supposed to be replaced by a new one in 2007, which never happened. He added that the governorate got the approval of the military council to raise the tax-free import quota, and the legislative authority (the People's Assembly) issued a decision to re-establish a free zone in Port Said. El-Masri told Al-Ahram local newspaper that it was high time for the decree to get implemented, since Port Said's inhabitants were in desperate need of a boost. The expansion of tourism, agriculture and harbour activities would turn the town into an international transit centre for trade and shipping services. According to Mahmoud Fouad Amin, the secretary general of the Trader Coalition in Port Said, the decree and the draft law re-establishing the free zone met with the approval of citizens in general and traders in particular, since this town's economic fabric is mainly based on trade rather than agriculture or industry. When the free zone was abolished in 2002, not only were the inhabitants of Port Said doomed to poverty and unemployment, the State treasury also suffered great losses.
