Councillor calls for mandatory spirit licences for event promoters

WESTERN BUREAU:

Devon Brown, councillor for the Hopewell division in the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC), wants it to be mandatory for event promoters to apply for and be issued a spirit licence if they intend to serve alcohol at events which they stage.

Brown, speaking at the latest monthly meeting of the HMC, contends that alcoholic beverages are served to patrons at over 90 per cent of events promoted across the island, yet there is no requirement for these promoters to have spirit licences.

“In operating certain kinds of business, one has to have a spirit licence to sell spirits, but I realise that permission is being given to persons who do not have a licence to sell spirits, for them to stage events as promoters,” said Brown.

He said that permission to stage events where alcohol is to be served should be part of the (general) requirement for approving the staging of the event. At present, promoters must seek the permission of municipal authorities, the public health department, and the police to legally stage events.

Under Jamaican law, operators of all bars, lounges, hotels, and other locations at which alcoholic beverages are being served, are required to apply for and secure a spirit licence before they have legal clearance to dispense alcohol at those locations.

“From an economic and also a moral point of view, these persons who are applying for permission to keep parties should also be required to get a spirit licence, because they are getting permission to dispense spirits (at the parties) without the necessary licences,” said Brown.

“I know I will be getting some amount of bashing for this suggestion because persons will be saying that they just want to keep a one-off party and not run a bar or lounge, but alcohol is being served at these parties without the requisite licences,” added Brown.

He argued that should a promoter not wish to apply for an individual spirit licence, that person should be compelled to use a registered venue, which already has an approved spirit licence in place. Failing that, no permission should be granted, he maintained.

“When that is done (mandatory spirit licence), at least everything can be uniformed and done in a meaningful way as long as alcohol is being served. We should also seek the input of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in putting this measure in place. It’s illegal to peddle alcohol without a licence. Even the local shops cannot exhibit it unless they have a spirit licence,” said Brown.

The councillor said he intends to table a resolution in the HMC on the matter soon, and will be seeking further support at the local-government level.