[www.inewsguyana.com] – Clairmont Cummings, the owner of Gravity Lounge and Nightclub has expressed his disapproval with a proposal by the Public Security Minister for there to be a 2:00AM curfew for bars and nightclubs in Guyana.
Already, promoters and other stakeholders in the entertainment sector have condemned the proposal saying that it is “foolishness”.
While most stakeholders have condemned the proposal behind the veil of anonymity; Cummings took to social media to publicly repudiate the proposal.
It should be noted that the proposal is actually an extension to current legal curfews which dictate that nightclubs should be closed at 22:30hrs on week days and 23:00hrs on weekends.
Cummings noted that one of the central problems with this policy is that it assumes that nightclubs and alcohol are at the root of Guyana’s crime problems thereby ignoring more structural and systemic issues that play a more significant role in alleviating the scourge of lawlessness and crime.
According Cummings, instead of imposing a curfew, the government should seek to bolster the police presence in the streets and look at new strategies of crime fighting.
“Imposing a curfew is a weak approach to tackling the root of issues that negatively affect social order in Guyana -because what is needed in Guyana is a strengthened police presence, empowerment programs for young people, inclusionary strategies that teach responsibilities of adulthood, education as a means towards higher social mobility, and most importantly a strengthened judiciary,” the nightclub proprietor stated.
He noted too that instead of reducing crime, the imposition of a curfew may have other ripple effects that would not bode well for Guyana’s moral fabric.
“The reality is that in many cases curfews have proven to increase binge drinking and the development of underground and unregulated bars, often referred to as ‘after-hours clubs”. These clubs are often located in people’s homes or in dives which are proven to be more difficult to police. Additionally, the rise in these types of unregulated social spaces puts nightlife seekers, particularly young women and tourists at a more vulnerable risk. There is absolutely no correlation between last call and crime reduction,” Cummings asserted.
He pointed out that in Canada, Montreal’s last call was extended to 5:30AM noting that Montreal is one of the safest cities in the world and increased crime has not ensued as a result of this extension.
Endorsed !!!
Guyana problem is too much bribery…the government should work on that issue first…pay these police men and women a decent salary,so they don’t need bribe to make a living so they will do a better job at the crime rate…with better training and equipment..putting a curfew on entertainment wouldn’t stop the problem…in Guyana the rich get richer and the poor get poorer…cause the rich pays there way out…that’s my view…
WeLl said,,thank you
Gravity’s owner needs a morality check, if he wants to use North American bar laws in Guyana then he should be aware that when one of his patrons leaves his bar at 5.30 am and drives his car while drunk and kills somebody he will be held responsible, in California bars are closed at 2.00 am, in New York 4.00 am, in Florida 3.00 am and anytime during the bars operation a customer leaves intoxicated and causes death or greivous bodily harm the bar can be held responsible.
Guyana is a smal society and the amount of time working people party and drink during a work week is destructive, it stagnates productivity because the Guyanese workers tend to not go to work after a night of binge drinking or perform poorly at their jobs.
Bars encourage prostitutes, pimps, criminals who prey on patrons, taxi touts, parking touts and the worst problem is the children beggers who beg all through the night and until the wee hours of the morning outside these bars and men who take advantage of them, Gravity’s owner is too high up in his establishment that he don’t see the slime that runs off of his establishment. Maybe he never went to the Latino Club on Hadfield Street in it’s hay-day’s to see the crimes perpetrated outside and inside at night.
That is the dumbest , stupidity, comment I have ever heard…so stupid
There are some strip teast clubs in the city of Georgetown whch are not sound-proof. The NOISE is relentless, EVERY night, from 10.00 p.m. to almost 4.00 a.m. and added to that the patrons pee on neighbours property and leave bottles, some of them broken. They block private entrances with their vehicles. Those who ride motor cycles rev up the engines and make quite a loud noise. Then there is gun play sometimes. People suffer from sleep deprevation which is bad for good health.
This is my take on the curfew situation. The entertainment venues should have been located in the middle of industrial areas. Not in neighbourhoods… the people voted for change and they are not happy with the change, please make up your mind as to which way you want to go. When Guyanese come to live in North America they do have to abide by the laws in the country. So my suggestion to you folks objecting to the curfew I say suck it up and embrace the change.
The issue here is the prevalence of crime. There must not be a knee-jerk reaction to a serious societal scourge and there are some useful suggestions from the proprietor inspite of different context. The fact is we live in a globalised domestic environment (“glocality” or “globmesticity”) where the realities across the globe are becoming undifferentiated despite distance because of technology, frequent travel etc. The badguys and gals are ahead of the game and the lawenforcement agencies must strive hard to catch-up and move ahead. The crime issue is diverse and multicausal and so must not be addressed with one solution which has no basis in evidence. The government must base its solutions/interventions on all crimes and the real causes of crime. Be tough on crime and the causes of crime. The prevalent violent crimes by mere reportage are seemingly drug related trafficking, mob justice/revenge, rogue cops, home invasions etc. These are organised ccriminal activities. The proposal which is not based on evidence is a no-brainer and can lead to other criminal enterprise to perpetuate a universal entertainment lifestyle which begins after 12 midnight. Are we into tourism? Are we after investments? Do we recognise that we have a diasporic remittance based entertainment/leisure sector? We are addressing a social reality with serious socio-economic and cultural implications. Let get tough on organised crime and the causes of crime!!! There is no quick fix.
The 2.00 am Curfew For Nightlife Entertainment Venues?
I think this idea may be useful when used practically.
I would also suggest that we have a Trial Run for about SIX months, then have a review done on the effects afterwards.
If no changes in crime, or crime resulting from alcohol use by party goers, then extend the curfew for another SIX months.
Then another review should be made.
And if there is still no changes. Then permanency may be implemented.
But subject to an annual review.
To Garvity ‘s Owner-
Discipline is the answer.
Do not compare Montreal to Guyana,for you will lose your point
Correlation does not equal causation. Why should this aspiring entrepreneur have to bear the brunt of the pain for societal problems. Why not increase fines and penalties for drunk drivers? In fact, a more sensible approach would be to charge an additional tax (say 30%) on alcohol purchases after 12 midnight and use that the proceeds to beef up traffic patrols. Seems as though the Minister is using a hammer for a job that requires a syringe.
I think that the curfew should stand and it is the right approach the Government is taking in tackling crime too much alcohol, drugs and guns on our streets. People need Jesus.