How can Egypt’s legislation solve unlicensed valets crisis?

CAIRO – 18 April 2018: A number of Egyptian lawmakers stressed the importance of organizing the work of unlicensed valets, especially those bullying people while parking their vehicles. A new law is currently being discussed in Parliament to regulate valets' work and prevent acts of bullying.

Major General Medhat Qoreitem, former assistant minister of interior for specialized police, said that the new draft law will regulate and license the work of valets and prevent chaos currently witnessed in Egyptian streets.

Qoreitem added there is an article in the new draft law that identifies parking and waiting fees through a specialized committee. However, the expected legislation does not specify where these fees will go or what the bases will be for granting working licenses to valets.

He pointed out that the law should determine the mechanism of collecting these fees, stressing that the state should receive a share of these sums. He further added that the government should task state employees with supervising valets regularly.

Qoreitem suggested launching an online service for parking cars instead valets, as is the case in most Arab countries.

On the other hand, Major General Salah Abdel Wahab, former assistant minister of interior for traffic, said that organizing the work of valets is a good step, because it helps create job opportunities for young people.

Abdel Wahab added that the new law should be comprehensive and determine the working hours of valets and parking fees, as well as avoid causing traffic congestion on the roads.

According to a security source, the new draft law stipulates that people eligible to receive a valet license must not be less than 21 years old when applying for the license.

They also must be literate and have a valid driving license. A valet also should not have been sentenced for any crimes that violate honor and honesty.

The source added that the new draft law stipulates that licensed valets shall have a health certificate issued by forensic medical labs in the Ministry of Health stating they passed a drug test. Moreover, the licensed valets should also complete their military service or be exempted from it.