Morocco's Daylight Saving - end date changed.

Morocco’s Daylight Saving Ends Earlier than Expected

Morocco will end its daylight saving time earlier than expected in 2008 after it ran the schedule for the first time since the late 1970s. The Ministry for the Modernization of the Public Sectors recently announced that the country would return to its official standard time (UTC+0) by reverting the clock one hour back at midnight between August 31 and September 1 in 2008.

Ramadan the reason?

The original end date for daylight saving time in Morocco was at midnight between September 27 and September 28 in 2008. However, this date was changed recently and is now about 27 days ahead of its original daylight saving schedule. The View from Fez believes this may be because Ramadan – the month of fasting – begins on September 2, 2008.The daylight saving schedule also applies to parts of the Western Sahara that are controlled by Morocco. The entire issue seems to be a bit of a fiasco with obvious negative impacts on various sectors. (See our story on the impact on airline schedules here.)

Morocco decided to trial daylight saving time when it moved the clock one hour forward (UTC+1) at midnight between May 31 and June 1 in 2008. The daylight saving schedule was supposed to end September 28th However, the many individuals and business groups were surprised when a decision was suddenly made to end the daylight saving date nearly a month ahead of schedule. Traders are still struggling to understand the suddenness of this change of plans.

The government planned to use the daylight saving measure to minimize energy costs and to align itself timewise with neighbouring European countries who observe daylight saving time. Organizations such as the National Office of Electricity (ONE) had shown their willingness to try out the daylight saving schedule in hope that the energy-saving schedule would prove to be economically viable for the country. Moreover, it was hoped that tourism would expand as a result of more daylight hours in the summer afternoons due to the schedule, bringing in a boost to businesses within the tourism industry.

It was planned that the 2008 daylight saving trial would be reviewed for a decision to use the schedule in future years. If its disadvantages outweigh its benefits, daylight saving time may be abolished. However, if it proves to be successful, daylight saving time may be used again.

We would be interested in the response of our readers. Should daylight saving become an annual event in Morocco?

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news