Kuwait to temporarily ban sale of balloons, water pistols on national celebrations
Violators to face tough penalties including the closure of their stores and prosecution
Cairo: Kuwait is set to temporarily ban the sale of balloons and water pistols due to misuse during national celebrations.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Commerce and Industry plans to ban the sale of balloons as well as water pistols and sprinklers at all commercial outlets in the country with violators to face tough penalties including the closure of their stores and prosecution, a newspaper has reported.
The expected ban will be for a limited period including February when Kuwait marks its National and Liberation Days, the paper quoted “well-informed” sources as saying.
The ban, which will be issued in a decree from the ministry, comes in response to complaints about the misuse of the toys during national celebrations, they added.
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The ministry will base the ban on a set of facts. They include the annual waste of water, specifically on February 25 and 26 when the National Day and Liberation Day are celebrated, an increase in car accidents and harm caused to others’ property due to excessive use of balloons and water pistols as well as the large number of face and eye injuries recorded annually due to the reckless tossing of water-filled balloons and guns.
Additionally, the Interior Ministry usually registers a large number of violence cases ignited by incidents involving the throwing of balloons and water sprinklers during the national celebrations, the sources said.
Kuwait annually celebrates the National Day marking independence from Britain on February 25. The following day is designated as the Liberation Day marking the dislodging of Saddam Hussein’s forces from Kuwait after a US-led military multinational campaign that ended the August 1990 invasion.