For many years, the Government was unable to move the Friday Market from beneath the Autostrade near el-Sayyeda Aisha in southern Cairo. But it's now got its chance, as much of the market was destroyed last week in a fire. Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif has decided that the Friday Market, that sells all manner of unusual new and second-hand commodities and is popular with the poor, will be transferred to 15th May City in Helwan Governorate. This decision seems disastrous for those unfortunate merchants whose shops were demolished in the blaze. The move means they will lose many of their customers, who resort to the market to purchase cheap household appliances and furniture, because they will be reluctant to pay extra to travel all the way to 15th May City. The decision says nothing about the arrangements for the merchants at the new site for the market; nor does it make any reference to any possible compensation for their losses. Unfortunately, the Government doesn't have a record of the names or numbers of these merchants (although it is thought there may be about 5,000); so it's doubtful that they'll be given compensation or shops in the new market. It's a pity that the Cairo Governor hasn't suggested rebuilding the market at the old site under the Autostrade, upgrading the safety standards there to prevent any tragedies in future. If the Friday Market were replanned, this could be a great breakthrough, paving the way for other markets in slum areas to be upgraded, thereby making life easier for the poor people who struggle to make a living there. But moving such markets from the populous districts to remote areas would surely meet with fierce public resistance.
