The Private Sector Commission (PSC) today called on Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan to rethink his 2 am curfew for bars and night clubs arguing that these businesses are now faced with closure and downsizing.
Ramjattan has been adamant that the 2 am curfew which was meant to reduce crime and drunk driving will stay in place.
In a statement today, the PSC says it has observed and received reports from its membership that the enforcement of the 2:00 am closure for bars and night clubs is having a significant negative impact on businesses within the entertainment industry. It said that many of the businesses are faced with the “threat of closure and downsizing as a result of this decision.” The PSC said that it is also concerned that this could have a long term negative impact on the developing tourism industry.
It added that there has been no definitive study on the social impact of the later closure on crime and accidents and that this tends to be anecdotal.
“The PSC is therefore calling on the Minister of Public Security to rethink this strategy and its implications on business. We are strongly recommending that consideration be given for bars and night clubs to be open until 4:00 am on Fridays, Saturdays and Public Holidays for those night clubs located in commercial districts and zones and those which comply with building codes that limit noise nuisance.
“In addition, with the upcoming Christmas holidays, we are recommending the extension and relaxation of the 2:00 am edict to facilitate our visitors for Christmas and into the New Year. This is especially so, as we seek to mark the 50th Anniversary of our Independence in 2016”, the private sector body said.
