AG: Reducing bar hours was no easy decision

ATTORNEY General Faris Al-Rawi says reducing the opening hours for bars “was no easy decision.”

He said he is now working on finding a solution but pleaded with bar owners, saying it would require “some degree of co-operation.”

He was speaking at the sod-turning ceremony for the Bayshore Housing Project in Marabella on Friday morning.

On Thursday, members of the Barkeepers and Operators Association protested at the Queen’s Park Savannah opposite Whitehall. They called on the Prime Minister to allow them to remain open until 10 pm once more – a privilege taken away because of errant patrons and owners at some bars. Interim President Teron Mohan said the association was giving government 48 hours to respond to its pre-action protocol letter.

Asked about this, Al-Rawi said his attorneys are currently drafting a response to the letter.

“As you know, the regulations come under review again. The Cabinet will sit on that again.

“You must recall the Chief Medical Officer (Dr Roshan Parasram) insisted that because of the fiasco that we saw with the bar situation, covid19 contamination became risky.”

He said once the pre-action protocol letter is “settled,” he will then publicly state government’s position.