Night club curfew has revelers fuming, others cheering

Jul 06, 2015 News

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By Kiana Wilburg

The 2.00a.m cap on the local nightlife has come like a nightmare to revelers, a punch to the gut for club owners…and a blessing to those who like to have a peaceful night’s sleep.
It was implemented over the weekend and already, Ramjattan has become a sweepingly unpopular figure within various quarters, earning himself names like, ‘The Grinch,’ ‘The Terminator’ and ‘Dr. Evil.’ But to others who have lived for years near to noisy bars with music, Ramjattan’s decision has come none too soon.
On Saturday, hundreds of revelers who believe that a good time involves partying the night away until sunrise, were ushered out of the popular clubs and bars and ‘limed’ on the streets for several minutes as they pondered the next possible place to finish the night off.

But the adrenaline and liveliness which normally characterized the nightlife after 2.00 a.m simmered rather quickly given the noticeable police presence throughout the city.
Clubbing to death
Kaieteur News visited many of the popular spots in Georgetown and caught up with many of the party-goers, some clearly infuriated, while a few were tolerant of the new change.
“How Ramjattan want come and tell people how they must party and when they must party? What happen? He wasn’t young? This is unfair to those of us in the younger generation. You can’t come and flick a wand or click ya finger and expect us to just change overnight. The reality is that the party life gets pumping around 12 a.m and really goes into overdrive around 2.00 a.m. This is a tragedy,” one 35-year-old reveler at Palm Court grumbled.

But one female 24-year-old party-goer at Gravity said, “I don’t have a problem with the 2 am curfew. It is about bringing law and order to the country. No one can deny the fact that they have at least witnessed fights and or gun play after 2.00 a.m at some of these clubs. In New Jersey, there are clubs which close at 2.00 a.m and people are fine with it. There are clubs in the Caribbean which close at that time too and some of these same Guyanese who go over there have to comply. But Guyanese believe that in order to have a good time, they have to party until they see the sun and they can’t wake up in the morning.
“And who knows, if some of these clubs were closed by 2.00 a.m, then that young guy who was in the army, Denzil Mingo, who got gunned down in front of Edge Club would still be alive as well as Manu Durant, who was killed in that strip club, Baroombar.”
Another lover of the nightlife, this time from Seeta’s Bar in Station Street Kitty said, “I don’t believe that this curfew will do anything to stop the high crime rate of which Ramjattan says the nightlife contributes to. When the clubs do adjust to this, and the parties start from 9 a.m to 2.00  a.m, you will still have the problem of drunk driving to deal with. You will still have the violence. Ramjattan to me is paying attention to the wrong things. Nevertheless, I can see with him on trying to bring order to the nightlife. These club owners don’t care about my safety, they care about my money.”
Meanwhile club managers and bar owners couldn’t resist the urge to express their frustration at the 2.00 a.m curfew. They all dread how their businesses will hurt financially from the restriction.

A manager at Palm Court said that she is particularly incensed by the cap on the time patrons are given to enjoy themselves.
“This is definitely going to hurt us because we make about $1.5 to $2M on the weekends between 2.00 a.m and 4.00 a.m. Everyone knows that the crowd starts to trickle in by 12am and gets into gear by 1:30 -2.00 a.m. Obviously this is going to hurt us. There should have been proper consultation with us.”
Those in favour
There are however, several persons who find favour with Ramjattan’s decision.  Residents of Station Street, Kitty rejoiced when Seeta’s Bar had no choice but to turn the music down by 1:40 a.m.
One 54-year-old resident said: “Seeta’s Bar does mek ya life a living hell. I want to say a big thank you to Ramjattan. Owh lawd I could sleep in peace now man. They have no respect for people and the fact that we got to sleep when the night come. The man right with de 2.00 a.m curfew he put in place. These young people believe that they got to stay out till 6.00 a.m to have a good time. Is bare ignorance and lawlessness. Back in de days dance ah done by midnight. Ramjattan doing de right thing. Leh Seeta’s Bar tek duh fuh all she disrespect ova de years.”
Many bartenders and waitresses were also elated about the 2.00 a.m curfew.
One waitress said, “I am a single mom and there are many nights when I would prefer to be at home with my children early instead of going home at 4.00 a.m.  So this curfew is really a blessing. I am happy about it. We have a life too you know. So this is really a good move.”
Is Ramjattan acting outside his portfolio?
But the debate on social media on this matter is getting even more intense with users expressing their views for and against the “night-cap”. Some even injected a bit of humour into the discussion as they posted pictures of Ramjattan captioned, “When you see him in de place, party done !!!”
Former Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, also lent his voice on the matter, on his Facebook profile.
He said that the granting of licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquor and for the regulation of such sale, and the control of licensed premises, are largely governed by The Intoxicating Liquor Licenses Act and The Licensed Premises Act. He said, too, that most of these licenses are granted by the Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).
Nandlall said that the opening and closing hours of those licensed premises are fixed by law in the legislation. The former Attorney General also noted that there is reference in both Acts to a “Minister” but it is not defined. He emphasized however, that the subject minister of the GRA is the Minister of Finance not the Minister of Public Security.
“So from whence is Mr. Ramjattan deriving his authority to impose this curfew. The curfew itself seems to be in contravention of the hours of opening and closing which are fixed by the law. As far as I am aware, these have not been changed by way of any amendment, regulation or order issued by the relevant subject minister. So it would appear that not only is Mr Ramjattan acting ultra vires his authority, but he may be violating the relevant law,” Nandlall expressed.
But the Public Security Minister in an interview on the reactions he has been receiving for the 2.00 a.m curfew said that he is the least bit bothered by it and will continue to do what is needed to reduce the high crime rate.
As for Nandlall’s comments, Ramjattan said, “This is an indivisible government  and you can’t divide it up and say because the portfolio minister is the Finance Minister, Winston Jordan in relation to GRA, Ramjattan must be silent. Then how is Jordan as the relevant person in charge of this to enforce it? Not by asking the policemen? I think this kind of thinking is most ludicrous coming from Nandlall, an individual who never wanted to enforce any law.”
“That is why some of his ministers were stealing cars and passing budget line items and all manners of things, just disregarding the financial laws of the country.”
Ramjattan said that in spite of the criticisms, he is going to do all that it takes to reduce the high crime rate and will continue to hold his ground on the matter.
“I am well aware that these small things will help out and it will lead to the big things. Drinking at very late hours does a lot of harm and leads to a lot of things and I don’t need studies to tell me that. There are a set of bloggers saying you have to get studies done to show correlation between the crime and the night life. Well, what studies do you require to know that drinking has a direct impact on domestic violence especially in rural areas and where you have the estates and so on? What studies we need to have to prove that where there is a lot of alcohol there is a lot of violent crimes and other things?” .
“So what should I do? Because people talk about their rights as against law and order I must simply say oh we shouldn’t enforce it just leave it? Oh no sorry. Not me. That is not going to be my approach to this crime solving at all. And it is a very serious matter out there”
Ramjattan reiterated that he isn’t here for the fame but to get a job done and “will do what it takes” for that to be accomplished.
He noted that the 2am curfew is just one of the options on his menu of measures  planned for crime reduction.

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