THE Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) has issued an appeal to liquor licence holders in St. Vincent and the Grenadines not to contravene the conditions under which they were granted licences by the Licensing Board to sell intoxicating liquor.

In a release, the police pointed out that section two (2) of the Liquor Licence Act (Chapter 473) of the Revised Edition of the Laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 2009 declares that there are nine (9) classes of licences issued under this Act; ranging from Class 1 to Class 9.

Holders of these classes of licences must adhere to the closing hours and not to harbour persons/patrons to remain at their business places/ shops after the specified closing hours.

“In an effort to clamp down on the practice of some liquor licence holders who are failing to close their businesses at the stipulated time under the law, the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police (RSVGPF) will be stepping up its enforcement of the provisions in the Liquor Licence Act,” the police release stated.

Section 25 of Chapter 473 states “any person who, during the time at which premises for sale of liquor are directed to be closed by, or in pursuance of, this Act, or allows any other disposes of, or exposes for disposal in those premises, any liquor or allows any liquor although purchased, sold or otherwise disposed of as aforesaid before the hours of closing, to be consumed on those premises or opens or keeps open those premises is

guilty of an offence.”

Further, the release pointed to Section 26 (1) which states that: “if during any period which any premises are required by law to be closed, any person is found on those premises, he is, unless he satisfies the court that he was an inmate or a servant of the premises, or that otherwise his presence on the premises was not in contravention of the provisions of the law with respect to closing hours, is guilty of an offence under this act.”

The police also referred to the ‘General Penalty’ that may be applicable if the law is contravened.

Section 54 (1) of the Liquor Licence Act states “any person who contravenes any of the provisions of this Act is guilty of an offence and is liable to a fine of two thousand dollars if no other penalty is provided.”

Section 54 (2) of the said Act states “any person who, having been once convicted of any contravention of any provisions of this Act, is again convicted of a contravention of any of its provisions is liable to a fine of double the amount which he would have been liable on a first conviction.”