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Egyptian MP criticizes new 'strict' regulations of Ramadan charity tables

Thursday 25-05-2017 - 05:41 AM

A volunteer carries food to charity tables in Cairo, Egypt,

Ghada Dajani

MP Mohamed Badawi Desouki

Cairo- Egyptian member of parliament for the Giza district, Mohamed Badawi Desouki expressed his disapproval on the latest 'harsh' decision made by Dr. Hisham El Sherif, Minister of Local Development, on the issuance of permits and legal steps for setting up Ramadan charity tables on Egypt's streets.

Ramadan charity tables are nearly the equivalent to soup kitchens abroad.

It has always been customary for the financially able Egyptians to organize food charity tables during the holy month of Ramadan to help feed the poor and break their fast with a hot, nutritious meal.

The MP pointed out that the minister set impossible conditions for the establishment of this charity, but then called for facilitating the procedures.

Badawi added that the government has deliberately degraded itself by preventing a charity that millions of poor people wait for during the merciful month of Ramadan.

Egyptians shop for traditional lanterns used for the holy month of Ramadan. (AP)

The government said that charity tables use large quantities of food and affect the volume of supply of goods, which is why the government has been indirectly making it difficult for the rich to do this charity. To that Badawi responded, “The government is making it difficult for people to set up charity tables so that it can ask them to donate the money instead.”

In a country where poverty rates have been rising exponentially reaching 45%, charity tables have always been viewed as a main element in social solidarity. But with a new law that requires permits to have charity tables set up has frustrated the many people who do set these charity tables up.

The MP pointed out that the government turned a blind eye to the fact that the only beneficiaries of this charity are the poor and called on the minister to quickly reverse this wrong decision.