NewsWhore
07-02-2010, 04:40 PM
The bill that would regulate the sale of alcoholic beverages and prohibit the consumption of these in corner grocery stores turned liquor stores and bars (colmadones), markets, sidewalks, avenues and parks without previous government clearance is the talk of the town. Fines of up to two years in jail are contemplated. The proposal says that the Ministry of Interior and Police would be allowed to limit the opening hours of these shops to 8am-10pm.
Businesses within hotels would be exempt from the schedules. The press release also says that the city mayors would be responsible for setting the opening hours during holidays.
The sale of drinks, if the bill is approved, will be from 8 in the morning until 12 midnight, from Monday until Thursday and until 2 in the morning on Friday and Saturday. The legislation also says that on national holidays such as the 26 January (Duarte), 27 February (Independence Day), 16 August, and the Christmas holidays there would be no curfew on alcoholic beverage s sales.
"The plan is that the colmadones disappear," said Victor Tejada, owner of the liquor store in Luperon neighborhood. He forecast that only the stores that sell groceries will survive. He explained that their liquor sales actually get started after midnight.
According to the Ministry, in the DR there are 8,142 colmadones, most of them in National District (725) Province of Santo Domingo (1,664), Santiago (840) , La Vega (912) and San Cristobal (447) .
In these open bars, patrons can purchase and drink liquor without paying 10% service charge.
Another 35,702+ small grocery stores also sell liquor.
For the complete bill, see the left sidebar of the Ministry of Interior and Police website at http://www.seip.gob.do
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)
Businesses within hotels would be exempt from the schedules. The press release also says that the city mayors would be responsible for setting the opening hours during holidays.
The sale of drinks, if the bill is approved, will be from 8 in the morning until 12 midnight, from Monday until Thursday and until 2 in the morning on Friday and Saturday. The legislation also says that on national holidays such as the 26 January (Duarte), 27 February (Independence Day), 16 August, and the Christmas holidays there would be no curfew on alcoholic beverage s sales.
"The plan is that the colmadones disappear," said Victor Tejada, owner of the liquor store in Luperon neighborhood. He forecast that only the stores that sell groceries will survive. He explained that their liquor sales actually get started after midnight.
According to the Ministry, in the DR there are 8,142 colmadones, most of them in National District (725) Province of Santo Domingo (1,664), Santiago (840) , La Vega (912) and San Cristobal (447) .
In these open bars, patrons can purchase and drink liquor without paying 10% service charge.
Another 35,702+ small grocery stores also sell liquor.
For the complete bill, see the left sidebar of the Ministry of Interior and Police website at http://www.seip.gob.do
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)