Dear Editor,
Banks DIH must be blinded from the realities of alcohol and men’s violence towards women and among each other. On the last day of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, there is an advertisement to ‘show him some love’ by pushing one of their alcohol products to men. The alcohol industry continues to profit from the misery caused by the use of its products. There is no requirement or law to suppress advertising. Across the Americas, the health and social burden of alcohol is known, and yet we see that the liquor industry in Guyana pretending that it has no responsibility to diversifying and promoting wellness through other products.
The Government of Guyana in 2018 had apparently started work on an alcohol policy. (PAHO/WHO, health ministry to start work on alcohol control policy – Stabroek News). That work probably died in the democracy crisis and in the new oil democracy. There is no evidence that the Government wants to seriously transform the culture of alcohol consumption in Guyana. The Government’s policy position has resulted in a situation in that it is easier to buy alcohol, than to find services to help with recovery from the consumption of alcohol. The Government was very skillful in all of its media around gender-based violence to not talk about any commitment to addressing the link between alcohol, the intensity of gender-based violence, and other forms of violence in Guyana.
The liquor industry already uses sports to target men and boys to encourage them to drink alcohol with fine print about ‘drinking responsibly; the experience of many persons who have had to face those who claimed to drink ‘responsibly’ is that the only kind of responsible drinking is not to drink alcohol at all. The liquor industry must know that alcohol in Guyana is associated with abuse, violence, and death. If they really want to show men and boys love, they should be encouraging men and boys not to drink.
Sincerely
Vidyaratha Kissoon
