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Botswana: New Liquor Regulations Fail to Take Effect
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
8 April 2008
Posted to the web 10 April 2008
Lekopanye Mooketsi
Gaborone
The new regulations restricting entertainment and sale of liquor hours have failed to come into effect on April 1 as planned because of a technicality.
An official of the Ministry of Trade and Industry said the regulations cannot take effect because they have not been gazetted and the draft is still with the Attorney General's Chambers.
Previously, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Neo Moroka insisted that the controversial regulations would come into effect April 1.
He is still to brief Parliament about the regulations. An attempt to include the regulations in the statute law caused an uproar in the past before it was thwarted by Parliament.
Some people who are against the regulations said ministry officials wanted them to come into effect on the same day Ian Khama was inaugurated as president because he hates alcohol.
In the past, Khama has been accused of initiating the regulations. Moroka has denied the claims.
Deputy director of Trade and Consumer Affairs, John Matsheng declined to comment on the matter but hinted that the government would issue a statement this week regarding the regulations.
Under the regulations, bar opening hours have been changed from the original draft that the government had submitted. The initial regulations were seen as more stringent. Under the original draft, proposed bar opening hours was 5pm-11pm during weekdays.
Liquor outlets except hotels were not going to be opened on Sunday and this led to some people questioning whether Botswana was a Christian state. The new schedule proposes that bars should be opened on Sundays although the trading hours have been reduced.
The revised schedule shows that bars would now open at 2pm to 10pm from Monday to Thursdays.
On Friday and Saturdays, the bars would open 12- 11pm. Currently, the bars close at midnight during weekends.
The bottle store trading hours would remain the same from 10am and 7pm.
Liquor restaurants would open at 2pm and close at 10pm from Monday to Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, they would open from midday until 11pm.
On Sundays and public holidays, the liquor restaurants open at 3pm and close at 10pm.
Nightclubs will be more affected by the new regulations. From Monday to Thursdays, the clubs will open at 7pm and close at midnight. On Friday and Saturdays, the clubs open at 7pm and close at 2am. On Sunday and public holidays, the trading hours are 3pm to 10pm for nightclubs.
In 2006, Moroka conducted a country- wide tour to address Kgotla meetings following a parliamentary motion that he should consult before implementing the new regulations.
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At the conclusion of his tours, he declared that the majority of Batswana agreed with the government that there is an excessive alcohol abuse. He said the people suggested something should be done to rectify the situation. He asserted that this showed that it is not only the government that is concerned with excessive alcohol abuse. "It is a national problem," he said. He added that people are definitely saying that there should be control of alcohol consumption and they are against the selling of liquor at night.
Moroka does not feel the proposed regulations violate people's rights.
It is the duty of the government, he said, to make sure it takes care of the interests of the nation.
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