Many street vendors continue to illegally run their business despite efforts from the Muscat Municipality to regulate the same. The recent raids conducted by the municipality on illegal street vendors were widely discussed on social media.
The images showed a number of unlicensed street vendors who had stored food in an unhygienic manner.
While some expressed sympathy for the vendors, some felt authorities should offer them some advice.“They require guidance from the authorities,” a user tweeted.
The Invest Easy handle on social media said citizens wishing to establish such businesses can approach the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Riyada).
“The Al Rafd Fund can help them establish their own business in the right way,” Invest Easy said.
On January 1 this year, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) announced the commencement of registering street vendor business through the Invest Easy portal.
Those seeking licence to start such a business can do so on www.investeasy.gov.om Those wishing to start street business can visit Riyada for specifications of vehicles that can be used for the same.
If a citizen wishes to obtain financial support, he should visit the Al Raffd Fund.
He said the applicant should be Omani. The licence, valid for a year, may be renewed for a similar period.
The application for renewal should be submitted within 30 days of expiry of the licence.
Fahad Al Ghadani
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