Saturday, September 28, 2013

Morocco's Daylight Saving Fiasco ~Government change of mind (Don't change your watch)


Within the last few hours before the end of daylight saving, someone in the government had a sudden moment of bizarrely strange logic and thought "Hey, lets put off the end of daylight saving".  
Not matter that it has been advertised for a year, and that airline schedules and ferry timetables have been adapted - what the hell, let's just extend for a month...  And this is how the news was delivered.... 
Alerte : L’horaire d’été (GMT+1) maintenu jusqu’au 27 octobre 2013
Chers abonnés, un changement de dernière minute vient d'être décidé concernant l'horaire d'été. Le retour à l’heure légale (GMT) au Maroc a été décalée d'un mois et aura donc lieu dimanche 27 octobre prochain au lieu de demain comme prévu, vient d'annoncer le ministère de la Fonction publique et de la modernisation de l’administration dans un communiqué. L’heure sera ainsi retardée de 60 minutes dimanche 27 octobre 2013 à partir de 3 heures.
Alert: Summer hours (GMT +1) maintained until 27 October 2013Dear subscribers, a last minute change has been decided for the summer schedule. The return to standard time (GMT) in Morocco was offset by a month and will take place next Sunday, October 27th instead of tomorrow as planned, announced the Ministry of Public Service and the modernization of administration in a statement. The time will be delayed by 60 minutes and Sunday, October 2013 27 from 3:00.



The last minute decree 2.13.781 also stipulated that Morocco's DST period in future years will run from 2:00 a.m. (02:00) on the last Sunday in March to 3:00 a.m. (03:00) on the last Sunday in October.

The announcement comes just a day before the scheduled switch back to standard time. Government official, Abdelâdim El Guerrouj, justified the last-minute decision citing recent findings about "the positive impact on the national economy."

The facts: 
Morocco's DST schedule now officially runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. Since 2012, clocks were also turned back 1 hour to standard time during the month of Ramadan, so the country effectively observes DST twice a year. In 2013, the government switched back to standard time 2 days before the beginning of Ramadan. In that case too, the announcement was made just days before the switch.

It is not yet known if DST will again be suspended during Ramadan in future years.

A large number of tourism business managers have contacted The View from Fez and claim that such knee-jerk actions by a government department can cause havoc. Riad owners are suffering from confusion over pre-booked airport transfers.  The last minute making of policy on the run, smacks of amateurism, they say  ... we can only agree.

So forget changing your clocks.... We will let you know when and if they change their minds again...

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This has caused COMPLETE CHAOS in the tourism sector. We are in the middle of the busy season and scheduling guests arrivals and departures takes a lot of organising. To change their minds at the last minute is completely irresponsible and truly bizarre. Luckily we found out through word of mouth - this should have been widely announced. This government decision is a joke! Total amateur hour.

Unknown said...

Don't we all love this country for this haha. Anyway, they can't take away this extra hour of sleep I had last night. Salam and have a blessed sunday!

pema said...

For Moroccan Government read Disneyland

hotel essaouira said...

Yeah total Chaos, turism in morroco is not in a good health.

Anonymous said...

The moroccan government is a not so funny clown.

Anonymous said...

Disneyland is far more organized, I assure you of that!