FOLLOWING the closure of bars to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 disease, supermarkets have become a novel ‘hotspot’ for public imbibing and loitering and this has caught the attention of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF). The Guyana Chronicle has received several reports that individuals would purchase alcohol or alcoholic beverages from supermarkets and congregate outside, while consuming those beverages. A number of these complaints came from the West Berbice region. Supermarkets have been listed as essential services and therefore are allowed to be open; the sale of alcohol or alcoholic beverages is prohibited.

In response to this increasingly harmful practice, and given that a number of the supermarkets are Chinese-owned, the Task Force engaged the Chinese Association of Guyana. Director of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF), Colonel Nazrul Hussain, in a recent interview told the Guyana Chronicle that the Task Force was aware of the issue and has been trying to deal with it for a number of weeks. Eventually, the Task Force engaged the association and translation services were provided so that the Chinese-owned supermarkets and even restaurants could be edified on the gazetted COVID-19 measures. It was hoped that the owners and managers of the establishments would prohibit the loitering and public imbibing on their premises.

A few owners of small bars have also lamented that while they have been closed and have been suffering losses, these supermarkets were allowed to sell alcohol. Colonel Hussain also gave a reminder that such establishments were not licensed for the consumption of alcohol on the premises, but said that in general, the sale of alcohol is not prohibited. “People could buy their alcohol and go home and drink,” he explained. Amidst complaints from small bar owners that they are suffering immense losses after being closed for about eight months, Colonel Hussain emphasised that the body is only trying to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony contended that bars should not be operational, because one would have to remove one’s mask in order to drink, and most bars are based indoors where the potential for spread is much greater. The NCTF Director said, however, that the bar owners could try to engage in alternative businesses in the meantime. He reasoned that they already have some infrastructure in place and could easily sell other products, such as foodstuff.