Small bar owners cry foul on Sunday closing hours!
“This is definitely not working for our good, Sundays is one of the brightest days for business second to Fridays but we cannot go beyond 9:00pm on Sundays and I don’t see the sense in that,” said one bar operator who chose not to be named.
His complaints reflected those of at least three others who find themselves in the same situation. “We are all licensed business operators, this discrimination between big clubs, restaurants and these kinds are just not right. It’s saying you got more rights than the others,” another told Virgin Islands News Online.
The businessmen are of the opinion that the decision to limit their opening time was designed to give preference to some ‘so called’ Christians in certain communities. “This whole thing has to do with some people in certain neighbourhoods complaining about men drinking on the so called holy day, but what makes Sunday more holy than Saturdays or any other day,” one peeved bar operator said.
A check with a number of restaurants and clubs solidified the complaints of the bar owners. When contacted, a number of restaurants and eating houses have said they have no restrictions to the time they close operations on Sundays. “It has to do with your license. I am not a bar I am a Club,” said a member of the management of Club Opium.
The act of closing off at 9:00pm was addressed on BVI Forum which was a TV programme hosted by Mr Edmund Maduro and aired on CBN channel 51 during 2013. Back then, Mr Maduro had spoken on behalf of the bar operators.
Speaking with this news site yesterday, Mr Maduro reiterated some of his concerns on the subject. “The sad thing is these guys are afraid to come out openly and speak for themselves, they staying under the covers and talking about they are so scared of discrimination,” said Mr Maduro.
As explained by Mr Maduro and some of the bar operators, prior to the revision of the constitution which came into effect in 2006, the there was no distinction between the operating hours of bars from that of clubs and restaurants.
“I begged them not to incorporate that bill of right into the constitution this is the effect of that action here now. It is discriminating against some people and that in itself is a breach of the constitution as it relates to rights of every person,” stated Mr Maduro.
“What we want is for them to relook at that statute and make some amends. Closing at 9:00pm on Sundays is not working. We need equal rights and justice,” said a bar owner.
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22 Responses to “Small bar owners cry foul on Sunday closing hours!”
Too much drunk in the place
As a Tourist destination I don't see the harm in letter bars/restaurants go until 12am on a Sunday and until 1-2am on regular days. What the Polices should monitor is loitering and noise as some of these bars are located in residential areas and are 'open aired' so all the noise echos outward. Other than that, closing down these institutions at 9pm 'just because' doesn't make sense. For those talking about drunks, all establishments should use their discretion and not serve anybody who had too much. Then the Police need to enforce the drunk driving laws and that's that. You don't stop people from being drunk by closing the bars. All they will do is start drinking from earlier. A little common sense goes a long way and all they have to do is update the Legislation to suit. Some Churches have no problem with this as they collect all their thousands weekly far before 9pm.
maduro is wrong on this. Check the legislation under Licquor license
Let's educate ourselves people, and stop getting worked up by "he say, she say"... If there is a concern about the antiquated provisions of the current Liquor Licence Act then take it up with your elected representatives. But beware, when you get it revised, the days of paying "little to nothing" (e.g. $17.50 - $25.00 for a Bar Licence) are going to go as well... be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.
As far as the alleged "evil "Christian influences at work here, we may not be a Christian society, but it is a society where Christian values are predominant and have certainly molded and shaped not only our ethics and cultural practices. While there are certainly flaws in the way that many persons practice Christianity, that is not to say that one needs to criticize and call down the whole system. It's kind of like nobody hiring you since you may be a thief (because they heard that your great gran-daddy was crook, and his blood flows through your veins)... silly, isn't it? So please, stop blaming Christians for everything... we are people too :)
slim Jim sounds like an IRS agent(once you are black in the BVI there always be some fool(slim jim) try in insight a riot...cant even make a dollar in your home land......
You can scatter your Judas self but Sabbath keepers set of bad minded ppl
Here you see the full moon calendar with the full moon dates of 2014 and exact times and dates in an overview.
Thursday, 16 January 2014, 05:52:12 am
Saturday, 15 February 2014, 12:53:00 am
Sunday, 16 March 2014, 06:08:24 pm
Tuesday, 15 April 2014, 09:42:18 am [**]
Wednesday, 14 May 2014, 09:15:54 pm
Friday, 13 June 2014, 06:11:30 am
Saturday, 12 July 2014, 01:24:54 pm
Sunday, 10 August 2014, 08:09:24 pm
Tuesday, 9 September 2014, 03:38:12 am
Wednesday, 8 October 2014, 12:50:36 pm [**]
Thursday, 6 November 2014, 11:22:54 pm
Saturday, 6 December 2014, 01:26:48 pm
Time specified in Central European Time (CET) or Summer Time (CEST)