Dear Editor,
Congratulations to Stabroek News for bringing DDL out on their marketing strategy and their sense of social responsibility as it concerns their sale of alcohol.
The fact that DDL chose to craft its response after being called out is good, and maybe Banks DIH will follow suit. It is interesting though, their claim to ethical standards.
First they say, that “DDL has, at all times, advocated that adults, who choose to drink, do so responsibly” − when and where did they do this? Those responsible drinking messages − are they as big as the messages about the products they are selling? Has DDL measured their impact? Have sales reduced?
What is this socially responsible manner that DDL talks about, in a society which is dysfunctional and in which alcohol is easily available, and in which tired law enforcement cannot police? Was it socially responsible to make a mockery of the problems of alcohol in our rural communities by using rum sales for free tickets for a Chutney competition?
Surely DDL and Banks DIH must be aware that their advertisements are available for all to see, children included, so why pretend that they are only available for those who are of ‘drinking age’? Children watch television, they go to cricket sponsored by the liquor brands, they read the newspapers as well, they see the billboards.
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The alcohol industry has the wealth to market their product to ensure that alcohol is consumed, while public funds are limited to deal with the consequences. The industry should be aligning itself to create products and services which can add value to our lives.
Yours faithfully,
Vidyaratha Kissoon
