A campaign has been launched against unlicensed liquor restaurants or ‘bottom house rum shops’ that are operating illegally across the country, the Home Affairs Ministry, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Guyana Police Force announced in a joint advisory yesterday.
The advisory, which was published in the yesterday edition of Stabroek News and dated December 4, 2009, said that the Ministry views very seriously complaints from residents who are affected by these illegal operations and takes cognizance of the fact that the operators of these illegal businesses are guilty of tax evasion and also contribute to social problems in many communities. The operators of these businesses are therefore being urged to take careful note of the advisory and bring themselves in conformity with the Act that governs such practices or face the full force of the law. Contacted on the issue yesterday, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said that he had not seen the advisory but knew that recently members of the public have expressed concerns about these illegal shops. He said that the establishments are opened until wee hours, disturbing many residents. Persaud pointed out too that the location of some of these shops encourages “other things to happen.”
According to the advisory, persons who operate liquor restaurants without the requisite license are in contravention of Section 79 of the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Act, Chapter 82:21 of the Laws of Guyana, which states: “Everyone found selling or offering or exposing for sale, any spirituous liquor or any wine or malt liquor at any place other than in a place or premises duly licensed under this Act who does not produce a license authorizing the sale or the offering or exposing for sale, of wine, malt liquor, or spirituous liquor at the time when and at the place where he is so found selling it or offering or exposing it for sale may be arrested by the Comptroller or any constable or rural constable and detained until he can be brought before a magistrate and dealt with according to law and the wine, malt liquor or spirituous liquor, so sold or offered or exposed for sale, with the packages containing it, shall be seized and forfeited.”
