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Controversy and confusion over sudden opening of liquor shops
View(s):The liquor shops were open for the public on Friday without the approval of the Health Authorities, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella complained yesterday .
He said this was discussed at the COVID-19 Committee Meeting presided over by the President and opening of the liquor shops came as a proposal from Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, but no objections were raised.
Liquor shops were reopened again last evening with large crowds gathering outside them.
Health services Deputy Director General Dr Hemantha Herath yesterday said the health authorities had not approved the opening of liquor shops.
Excise Department officials said they had not given permission for the liquor shops to be opened. “We are investigating into the matter,” a senior official said.
Public Health Inspectors Association President Upul Rohana said the Government should reconsider the decision as the health guidelines, including social distancing, were openly violated in and outside liquor shops.
He said grocery shop owners were now demanding that they also should be given permission to open their shops.
Despite curfew restrictions, people gathered at major towns to buy liquor on Friday. There were massive crowds outside liquor shops.
Most people waiting to buy liquor disregarded social distancing practices and some were not even wearing face masks.
Some liquor shop owners, overwhelmed by the big sales made within a few hours, also disregarded health guidelines by allowing a large number of people to gather in limited spaces, thus contributing to the spread of COVID-19, eyewitnesses say.
Some people even consumed liquor outside liquor shops and were out of control while others were buying large amounts of liquor during the confusion.
It was also observed that long queues were formed at shops in Colombo, suburban areas and outstation areas such as Nuwara Eliya, Hatton and Puttalam.
Police Spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said they were taken unawares and police personnel only tried to manage the crowds.
He said that as the roads were overwhelmed with crowds outside liquor shop, police officers were dispatched to manage and disperse them.
Meanwhile the Association of Medical Specialists urged the authorities to take all possible measures to minimise human-to-human contacts during this critical period to avoid loss of gains and achievements made so far with all the sacrifices of the nation.
The medical specialists said it was their prime duty to foresee any impending threat at this crucial juncture where the country has just started to witness a downward trend of the deadly disease. The association also pressed the Government to introduce a safer mechanism to enable consumers to purchase what they wish, without endangering lives of others.