THE new advertisement for Stag Beer, which promises $3,000,000 to the community which can provide the most Stag Beer caps, is irresponsible, dangerous and destructive. It is important to analyze the message that this sends and the group being targeted.  Sports are encouraged worldwide as a way for young people to engage in healthy activities, team work and positive competition. Acquiring a playing field is a dream for many young people in communities that lack such facilities.
This ad is encouraging communities and the youth in them to engage in a negative and potentially destructive activity, namely increased alcohol consumption, which contributes to domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, the spread of HIV and drunk driving resulting in road accidents and deaths.
Since the majority of youth who use playing fields are below the age of 18, it would appear as if this ad, even if not intentionally, is promoting under-aged drinking. What youth in Guyana need to hear are positive messages about healthy lifestyles and responsible behaviour, not those that encourage increased alcohol consumption.
It is guaranteed that any playing field won with Stag Beer bottle caps will be built on the bruises, lacerations and beatings of women victims of domestic violence and on the cries of hungry, beaten, neglected and abused children who do not attend school because their parent(s) have spent the household money on feeding their alcoholism instead of their children.
We call on the company who markets and distributes Stag beer to remove this ad immediately. We also call on the newly elected President, leaders of all political parties in the National Assembly and civil society groups to speak out in the defence of our communities and young people against such irresponsible marketing strategies.