Unregulated and possibly unsafe firecrackers are beginning to make their annual appearance on the streets of Jeddah. As Eid Al-Fitr holidays approach, residents can expect to see an ever-increasing number of children and women doing a swift roadside trade and, indeed, haggling over the prices of these Eid favorites. Deep in the historic district of Al-Balad where the narrow streets limit police access, four people huddle in the darkness of a building in a back alley around a case of firecrackers. They use their mobile phones for light and check that the seller is as good as his word. Different types of firecrackers have different names, such as Continent Cruiser, while some are named after popular Arab soap operas, such as “Bab Al-Hara,” a little box of which comes replete with photographs of some of the series' actors. Prices can start from SR100, but many customers buy in bulk. Here, prices of six and seven thousands riyals were being bandied about. As the end of Ramadan gets ever nearer, prices will escalate further. “It is not the responsibility of the Civil Defense to go after these sellers anymore,” said Colonel Abdulrahman Al-Ghamdi, Civil Defense spokesman. “It's for the police to deal with now, we are only asked to help unlock the stores and warehouses where they keep the firecrackers.” The annual headache for Jeddah's residents does not look like it will come to an end any time soon. __
