By Jomo Paul
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan says he will be making no move to suspend or revoke the 2:00 am curfew and if anything, he may just bring it forward.
Ramjattan was at the time responding to a call by the Private Sector Commission (PSC) for ‘Ramjattan’s decree’ to be revoked.
The PSC earlier noted that it has observed and received reports from its members 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 will not be done – It’s 2’ O clock, I might very well bring it forward to 12,” said Vice President Ramjattan, in response to the PSC’s call. He referenced the fact that police statistics show that almost half of the road deaths in Guyana are caused by persons imbibing alcohol.
“Didn’t you hear today what drinking is causing and how many deaths it’s causing? You bother with them private sector people,” he stated.
This is not the first time that Ramjattan has refused to review the enforcement of the archaic law. In August, he was asked about the repealing of the policy and he retorted that there is a correlation between heavy drinking at 2AM and after as it relates to violent crimes and domestic violence.
“It is very much correlated; heavy drinking with violence, abuse of women and so on and I am not going to change that. The law is…it must be at 12’ O clock. It’s only the high ranking hotels and so on that can go until 2 in the morning…And if there’s any change that I’m going to make quite frankly, this administration, well at least my Ministerial-ship would like to bring it forward to 12’o clock,” Ramjattan said.
“It is also our concern that this could have a long term negative impact on our developing Tourism Industry. There has been no definitive study on the social impact of the later closure on crime and accidents and this tends to be notional,” the PSC noted in the press statement.
The PSC further noted, “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.”
I fully supports the Minister for the bold step taken to return some semblance of peace and tranquility to our nocturnal activity .However I am surprised at the call made by the chairman of the psc who suppose to have a sense of decency and family values should think about every Father or every Mother who is out away from home at that hour in the morning. Also more monies is been saved as a result of less time being spent at the bars.And finally the risk of a drunken driver killing someone on the road is reduced because of less alcohol consumed.so who benefits the society because the preservation of a life would have been attained.
What I would like Mr minister to do is educate Guyanese how to use alcohol lots of Guyanese abuse alcohol when one is drunk can’t make rational judgment lots of men have to be drunk to feel good and it will have a negative impact on families 01:00 am is a decent time to close the bar I don’t see how it’s affect revenue for these bar lots of people don’t like law but if Guyana gona move in the right direction we to follow law lot of u live in the In the states there is a law for everything for a country to prosper we have to have security if people don’t feel protected they will not invest government needs to spend more on security
I am pissed at this response to the 2am curfew.
I have a different view …
The amount of individual freedom which a people may conquer and keep depends on the degree of its political maturity.
The maturity of the masses lies in the capacity to recognize their own interest. Kostler
Are we establishing a dictatorship/
This Goat needs a good trashing. Can this Jack substantiate his claim? He is too busy enjoying that 50% pay increase while law abiding citizens are robbed,killed and raped.
vote apnu 2 am home time crime gone up vote apnu
Canada is 2:00AM. Most States in the USA is 2-2:30AM. This is good for Guyana
Side kick Flip a coin
Rum jattan has to be one of the biggest goats I know! Power greed and the EGO is getting to his empty skull resulting in stupid decisions. What does drinking have to do with the crimes that Guyana faces today? Can someone explain this? Majority of the people who are getting rob is drunk? Majority of the thieves are drunk? I still cannot understand how this dumb minister is linking drinking to these crimes….Maybe someone needs to educate the goat. The APNU ministers have no hope. It is only a matter of time before they collapsed….this is a perfect definition of Dictatorship…..Guyana need leaders, not dictators.
2 am is good enought,,,the mighty USA is 2 am, so we are not exempt here in this third world cubicle
Guys/Gal, let’s be real! How many of you can buy alcohol other than 3.6% beer in America after 11:00pm – few if not none – NY the exception.
I live in Tennessee after 10pm no liquor sale. On Sunday – none – zippo! NJ, Florida, you guys know the rules 10:pm unless you go to a bar. This is a none issue, people will just adjust there buying habits and limit the lawlessness in our country. It’s a small step, but a good first step. I am a drinker a heavy drinker and I would not cry over this issue. Guyana wake-up, its a good thing for our society. Minister Ram – you are doing the right thing, next step is to charge them that still sell (bootleg) after the curfew.
where Mrs Ramjattan get his fax from,
U know power changes all of them….especially in that position. …why this government feel is a top down approach with no public consultation….u are anserable and with that approach u don’t have too long in that position…yes alcohol may be the problem but at what time. ..think he know he can’t be out them hour so no one should enjoy…same nonsense they change all the streets in Kitty to one way…no public consultation. …at least the last set took some time to become power drunk ….but same difference
hello!!!
he can’t revoke 2 AM because of the economic situation nobody has money to spend.
Ramjattan shuts down PSC’s call for revocation of 2AM curfew
U tell em Rumjhaat u tell em.
Pretty soon Rumjhaat will tell you where to drink what to drink and where not to drink. In your own home? That would spell disaster for Rumjhaat sice he is a guzzler of hard booze at Sita Bar in Station St Kitty who then go piss on peoples fence.
If Ramjattan is a damn jack ass what is Rohee?
Mr Mulla Omar has nothing good to fight crime so he is targeting the clubs,he and Nagga use to be in station street drinking at the bar till 4 and 5 in the morning now he is the crime guru,how is the crime situation differ from 2 to 4 am ?what a set of goats we have for leaders,this dumb fool is power drunk.
This is your concern? Focus on reducing the mounting crime rate, direct your energy towards that!
Good on you minister.Stick to your decision. You are right, but 12.00 is too early.One am is a good time and is the most popular time in the 90% of countries that have this , kind of law.
This man is a damn jack ass