THE Indian Arrival Committee (IAC), since its formation, has always taken a strong stand against alcohol and substance abuse and the need for firm and sustained action to stem these growing social ills.

The IAC, in a statement yesterday, reaffirmed that all of its events countrywide are strictly alcohol free.

As such, the IAC said it was happy that at the recent Indian Arrival Day Mela held in Georgetown, President Bharrat Jagdeo took the opportunity to address the thousands about social ailments in our society and paid special emphasis on alcohol abuse and how it can in some instances result in domestic violence and problems for the family.

The IAC said it is very much aware of the deleterious effects of alcohol and other substance abuse on the physical health and socio-economic status of all its victims.

Far too often, the over consumption of alcohol and other similar behaviour leads to violence in our homes and lower productivity at the work place. We know of stories where hard earned income is spent on alcohol and other substances rather than on food and other necessities for the homes. This itself makes everyone in the home victims of alcohol abuse.

Recently, the Minister of Agriculture Mr. Robert Persaud, at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Berbice Honours’ Roll, took a decision to end the sale of alcohol from all the Estates’ staff clubs and his desire to make the work environment at GuySuCo alcohol free.

Once again, the IAC is encouraged to see that at the government level there is a firm stand against alcohol abuse. We welcome this announcement by the Minister.

The IAC’s own research has confirmed the high percentage of alcohol abuse in the sugar belt and is also happy that GuySuCo, as a policy, will be addressing this problem more aggressively in line with the Minister’s pronouncement.

The IAC calls on other work places to contemplate such a move as a show of support to deal with alcohol and substance abuse in our society.

The Committee said it will continue to support anti-alcohol abuse programmes by NGO’s, private sector and public institutes. “We invite the companies which produce and distribute alcohol to work with the IAC and other groups on special programmes to curtail alcohol abuse in our country,” the Committee stated.