With some retail stores still not complying with the liquor license suspension, Superintendent Cromwell Henry of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force outlined the importance of suspending the liquor license in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.
He was speaking at the NEOC’s COVID-19 Daily Briefing on Tuesday where he stated that the intention of the suspension isn’t to stop the consumption or sale of alcohol entirely but to prevent large gatherings at bars and rum shops.
“A 6 feet physical distancing is recommended to prevent the spread by person to person contact. It is not very easy if at all possible to maintain this 6feet distance in a bar with persons drinking alcohol. Alcohol suppresses the central nervous system and impairs one’s ability to judge distances among other things, hence the restriction at retail license premises.”
He also stated the rationale for allowing supermarkets and other alcohol wholesalers to continue their sale of alcohol.
“Supermarkets and other alcohol wholesalers cannot allow alcohol consumption on their premises that is why there are no restriction on these businesses and I would say why. The liquor license describe wholesale licenses or what it means to sell wholesale as to sell liquor in any quantity of less than of less than one pint to be consumed off or away from the premises.
Superintendent Henry stated that types of liquor found under the liquor license act include brandy, whisky, rum, gin, wines, liqueurs, beer, porter, cider and all portable spirituous alcoholic malt and fermented liquors of any kind but does not include bay water or bay rum.