On Sun, Jan 2, 2011 at 7:54 AM, Anique <[email protected]> wrote:
> This is AWESOME news for residents in Observatory > > No really from the cape times a few days ago - they will do nothing for the foreseeable future The law is a mess and no-one really knows whats going on And the one big social reason they give for the law to - curb alcohol abuse - might be noble but will be futile - I can't see how changing liquor sales hours is going to have any effect. I would guess most serious abusers of alcohol would have plenty of their own stash at home or by it by the pap sak from the friendly liqour store- or by the glass from the even more friendlier liqour stores. “The by-law will be phased in over the next few months and will not be stringently enforced until all role players have been extensively educated and informed about the new legislation,” the city's communications department said in a statement on Thursday. However the statement also quoted the chairman of the council's liquor policy task team Taki Amira as saying: “We will not enforce the by-law, fine nor prosecute people until all role players have been properly educated.” Everyone would be “given a fair chance to make sure they comply with the law”, he said. On Wednesday he said in a media statement that bars and clubs in business areas “will have to close by 02:00 on January 1”, and that liquor outlets “will have to abide by the new legislation”. Amira and the city have been unable to say whether the new by-law means businesses will be able to stay open after 2am, selling non-alcoholic products such as coffee, and what will happen if patrons order several drinks just before 2am. Amira also maintained on Wednesday that there had already been adequate communication on the changes. “When people say, we haven't been told, we haven't been communicated (with), it shocks me,” he said then. He said in Thursday's statement that the aim was not to immediately close down clubs, bars and restaurants that did not comply, but to “properly inform everyone affected by the new by-law in order for them to comply”. “As with all new legislation, it has been decided that this new by-law will be phased in over a period of time,” he said. The City's safety and security chief, Richard Bosman, said that initially the City's law enforcement agencies would merely register complaints from the public “and keep record thereof for future reference”. - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en.
