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| Sunday,13 November 2005 |
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Proposals to regularise sale of liquor by Jayampathy Jayasinghe The committee appointed by President Chandrika Bandaranike Kumaratunga to inquire into matters relating to the entertainment industry after the Royal Park killing has proposed the need to create a safer environment at night clubs and restaurants. The committee's proposals have been circulated among ministries and relevant agencies for further clarification before a final draft is adopted. Presenting the technical committee report the former The Ceylon Tourist Board Director General Ranjith Perera said the proposals put forward by the committee was discussed with the Ceylon Tourist Board, the Excise Department, the police and other departments to strike a balance between law enforcement and the entertainment industry. The technical committee is now scrutinising the hours relating to sale of liquor in restaurants, hotels, guest houses to be enforced strictly. The proposals include maximum fines and cancellation of liquor licences to be imposed on night clubs, restaurants hotels, that flout Excise regulations with regard to sale of liquor. It was revealed that minors who had patronised night clubs in the city were served with liquor. Other recommendations include restricting visas of foreigners who arrive in the country to indulge in nefarious activity. The members of the Technical Committee are Ranjith Perera, the former Director General of the Tourist Board, M. N. D. Dixon , former Director General of the UDA, W.H. de Alwis, the former Commissioner of Excise (Revenue). Public Security, Law and Order Ministry Secretary, Thilak Ranaviraja said most parents today were apprehensive of their children visiting night clubs of hotels due to sporadic violence. He said there were also loopholes with regard to issuance of liquor licences to hotels and restaurants by state agencies. No permit has been issued so far to any hotel, restaurant or club to sell liquor after 1 a.m. The idea was not to restrict activities of the entertainment industry but to strike a balance to uphold moral values of the country. IGP Chandra Fernando said the Police, Excise and the Navy had seized more than 20 kilos of heroin during the past few weeks. There is credible information that drugs are prevalent in night clubs and restaurants in the city of Colombo and its suburbs. Some drug barons had even used their influence to send police officers abroad to keep them away from court cases. Action is being taken to discipline such officers, he said. Tourism Ministry's Secretary Dr. P. Ramanujam said that a special committee was appointed to look into areas of entertainment provided in star hotels and restaurants after incidents of violence were reported in the past. The committee is studying ways and means to prevent such incidents occurring in the future. There was a high turnout of tourists visiting Colombo than in resort areas and a decision has to be taken with regard to closure times of bars serving liquor, he said. Others who participated at the conference were the Excise Commissioner C. Hapuarachchi, Director Crimes SSP Jagath Keenawinna Director Narcotics Bureau SSP Wasantha Hettiarchchi. The sub committee consists of the following members. Public, Security, Law and Order Ministry Secretary H. M. Gunesekera, Board of Investment Senior Manager Samarasinghe Banda, DIG Police, S. M. Wickremasinghe, Chairman National Dangerous Drugs Control Board, Dr. Sujeewa Ranaweera, Commissioner of Excise (Crimes), Wasantha Hapuarchchi, Municipal Commissioner Colombo, Dr. Jagath Liyanage, Additional Controller Immigration and Emigration, Prasanna Silva, W. A. D. U. S. Nissanka, Senior Asst. Secretary Ministry of Provincial Council and Local Government, D. P. Hettiarchchi. The Secretary to the Sub committee is S. K. Premaratne. |
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