Many bars/clubs closed for want of liquor license
It appeared that only Tortola was affected as calls to Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda and Anegada revealed that it was business as usual for them.
The issue was the pending renewal of their liquor and other license by the Magistrate’s Court. Monday June 2, 2014 was the day when business owners flooded the court as it was the sitting for licenses. The process was presided over by Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards.
The day was one of obvious frustration and disappointment by most of the business owners as witnessed by this news site. Several persons were complaining that the process, for the first time as far as they could have recalled took much longer that previous sittings with other magistrates.
“The magistrate came down with a big hammer and to me it was without any consideration for us. Yes we understand that she was sticking to the books word for word line for line, iota for iota but even with the law you can be considerate with persons,” said one bar owner.
It was this that led to police officers clamping down on the bars and clubs over the past weekend, Sunday June 1, 2014.
This news site spoke with no less than five businesses that were affected, however, considering the fact that they have to return to the court, in the hope of getting their license, they have all asked not to be named; the business operators nor the bars, clubs and restaurants.
It was said by three business persons that they found themselves in the predicament as among other things the officers, both police and Inland Revenue, failed to properly identify themselves to staff on duty at the time of visiting for inspection. In one case a business operator said that she was not at the business place at the time of the visit to stop them from operating.
“They called me; I kept asking the person who said he was a police officer what was his name and he didn’t tell me just say he closing down my business. I wasn’t there and they closed down my place,” alleged the business operator.
Another claimed that with officers for the Inland Revenue Department went their place for inspection prior to the date of court, his staff refused to cooperate as the officer/s failed to properly identify themselves.
“They were given a little hard talk because the person on duty at time didn’t know why they were asking from information and they had no ID, at least that’s what I was told because I wasn’t present,” alleged the business person.
Another said that business was flowing smoothly when suddenly the police officers came in and ordered the business be closed for the lack of liquor license. “That was straight what they did just close down my place.”
Most of the business operators said that they were forced to spend as much as $10k to put certain things in place in order for re-inspection in the hope that they would be granted their license when they return to court on June 17-18, 2014.
“We have opinions to share about this whole thing but we can’t at this time. Right now we at the mercy of these people and you know how things go here in this small Territory, I don’t need to say more,” stressed one.
Another said, “I don’t want people to get the impression that the reason why license were not renewed was because of anything major or dangerous to our customer, some things were like a sign, or a painting, them not being sure if the place was properly sound proof, they feel kitchen needs ‘niceing’ up and things like that. Nothing of safety or health risk and that’s why I think they could have allowed us to continue to operate but have those things addressed in short order,” said the business person.
At least three of the business operators said that with them being prohibited from operating as usual they were forced to send home staff and in one instance staff is still awaiting payment even they had to go home until such time that things are legally fixed at the level of the court.
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