Dear Editor,
For decades alcohol use has been a problem in Guyana, several individuals have shared their views on this issue by way of the media or over a buckman, grenade, half or large, or the many promotions be it happy hour or the new happy two hours, buy one get one free, get six beers for the price of five etc. at the various drinking establishments readily available around the country.
It is sad to see our brothers and sisters who cannot be strong or sensible enough to make wise decisions in terms of moderate drinking or different pastimes get caught in the horrid habit of alcohol abuse. Millions of dollars are spent on advertisements and promotions to enhance alcohol sale, how much is given to assist in the rehabilitation of victims of alcohol abuse.
There are laws against the sale of alcohol without a licence to operate such an establishment and the selling of alcohol to minors. These laws are not being enforced. I was pleased when the police raided areas around Georgetown and seized quantities of alcohol from mainly roadside vendors; was anyone prosecuted for breaking the law?
In some areas between ten house lots there are four to five rum shops each offering different services to attract patrons e.g. pool tables for the older teens, video games for the school children, largest boom boxes for the partying type etc. Some have all of the above and more, most of which is illegal or a nuisance to the community. Who in their right mind would issue more licences in a community or village where there are rum shops in abundance, especially in the depressed areas? Some of those who have licences and proudly display them do not have toilet facilities and their customers urinate and consume alcohol on the roadside. Let there be some sort of allocation system to keep these places from popping up in every nook and cranny in our environment.
The time to act is now, let us change the United Nations report on Guyana as the country with the highest consumption of alcohol in the world. A collective effort is needed, NGO’s are not capable of doing it alone.
Yours faithfully,
Keeran Persaud
Editor’s note
We receive several letters from readers referring to illegal rum shops operating openly. Neither the Guyana Revenue Authority nor the Police seem to take any action. Reports also confirm the sale of alcohol to minors.
