Alcohol made scapegoat sector

Alcohol retailers have expressed concern that they are always at the receiving end even though it has not been proven that their outlets are high contributors to the spread of COVID- 19.

Retailers from restaurants, bars and night clubs are of the view that their businesses are not being considered or consulted when decision are taken to ban the sale of alcohol as a measure to contain the spread of the virus. The ban on sale and consumption of alcohol in public places was imposed from the 4th to the 31st of January 2021.

“We thought 2020 was tough but I guess we are in for a bigger shock. Remember we were the first affected in April last year and affected in a big way when the sale of alcohol was banned. The painful thing is that no one is saying anything to us, none from our leaders. We are just here hanging by a thread. Whenever cases of COVID- 19 go up the first stop by our leaders and the task team is the alcohol industry. Surprisingly you will never hear of an outlet that sells alcohol being closed for contact tracing or even disinfection due to a COVID- 19 case but our sector would be the first to be shut down or blamed,” said a representative, Tumelo Mmusi.

Last year the sector called on government to tap into the Alcohol Levy to assist them as the effects of COVID- 19 hits hard on them. “We have never been assisted through subsidy like other sectors,” said Mmusi, who explained that as liquor retailers from restaurants, bar, bottle stores and night clubs they have for a long time been pleading with government through the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry to increase the operating days and hours so that they could be able to revive their businesses, which have been suffering for about nine ( 9) months now. He said they are even starting to ques

tion the trends of reporting of the positive cases and blaming the spread on alcohol sale. He said they have also observed that in some instances there are contradicting official statements shared with the public.

“It is really tough for our sector. We are even more confused because nothing is being shared with us. One ends up holding on to people’s premises because you will never know when we will be allowed to trade. So you will have to continue fighting with landlords who will be demanding their dues while on your part you are not generating any revenue. We are not even sure if come month- end we will be back to business and our fear is that there could be an extension of the ban and State of Emergency, both which could result in the total collapse of our sector and further impoverishing Batswana,” said Mmusi in an interview with this publication.

Mmusi maintained his argument that the decision to open borders was ill advised as it increased the risk of the country recording more of COVID- 19 cases. “Safe passage through the country was promised but now we even have a case of the new variant which spreads fast and is deadly due to the decision to open our borders,” explained Mmusi.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Health and Wellness, Kabelo Ebineng last week pointed out that members of the public are now the last line of defense in preventing the spread of COVID- 19. He said more effort is needed from individuals, families and communities to contain the spread of the virus.

He stated that the public’s behaviour can be the only source that could help in containing the spread of COVID- 19 in the country. Ebineng said the decision by President Mokgweetsi Masisi to impose a curfew was one of the ways intended in containing the spread.

Presidential Taskforce Team Deputy Coordinator, Professor Mosepele Mosepele explained that the decision to ban the sale of consumption of alcohol in public areas was after it was discovered that people were not putting on their masks for a long period and there was no social distancing. Mmusi is of the view that this does not justify the closer of their businesses. He maintained that there have never been any cases associated with sale or consumption of alcohol. We have people going to gym rooms and exercise without putting on their mask and there is no or less ventilation but this is seen as being normal while with alcohol it is a different story, added Mmusi.