Saleh Al-Turigee Okaz In a matter of one week, the inspection campaigns launched by the municipalities in various parts of the Kingdom uncovered violations in 4,800 restaurants, shops and food stores. All these violators were fined and hundreds of restaurants in Riyadh closed down. The municipality of the small Al-Khurmah town confiscated and destroyed 100 kilograms of rotten chicken meat which was not suitable for human use. These campaigns, which I hope will never stop, have uncovered the magnitude of corruption in this sector. These establishments treat us as creatures with no value at all. They forget that if they drive humans into extinction with their rotten products they would never be able to make any profits. Are these campaigns, fines and temporary closures enough to set things right? The answer is definitely a big no. The campaigns launched by the Riyadh municipality last year led to the temporary closure of 2,883 shops and restaurants which were together fined a total of SR15 million with a rate of SR5,202 per establishment. The big restaurants will not heed these little fines but that is all the municipality could do to them. According to the municipal chart of punishments and fines, the fines should not exceed SR20,000. Being executing agencies, the municipalities cannot increase these fines. If they do so the owners of the shops and restaurants will take them to courts accusing them of violating the rules and regulations. The violator in this case will become the victim of the municipalities which have exceeded the powers vested upon them. As the municipal chart of punishments and fines cannot support the new drive of the municipalities to launch inspection campaigns against shops and restaurants, the Shoura Council should intervene to amend this chart giving the municipalities enough powers to impose strict punishments and fines. The minimum fine of SR10,000 and the maximum one of SR20,000 cannot be enough to deter restaurants and thus protect the people's health.
