San Fernando Mayor Councillor Robert Parris is questioning whether enough consultation was conducted with bar owners, promoters, Carnival stakeholders and other businesses before Government moved forward with legislation introducing stricter age restrictions and significantly higher penalties involving alcohol.
The Miscellaneous Provisions (Alcohol, Cannabis, Dangerous Drugs, Gambling and Tobacco) Bill, 2026 was passed in the House of Representatives on September 30 by 23 votes to 10. Among its provisions, the bill raises the minimum age for the sale of alcohol to 21 and substantially increases several penalties under the Liquor Licences Act.
Parris said his concerns should not be interpreted as support for excessive drinking. He said he is 48 years old, does not drink alcohol or smoke, and is proud to have maintained that position for most of his life.
However, he questioned the potential economic consequences for businesses already dealing with higher alcohol costs.
During the 2026 Budget presentation last October, Government doubled duties on rum and spirits from $79.25 to $158.50 per cent of alcohol content and doubled the applicable beer duty from $5.14 to $10.28. The measures took immediate effect, while representatives of the bar industry subsequently indicated that higher costs would ultimately have to be reflected in consumer prices.
“How will this new bill further affect bar owners’ profit margins?” Parris asked, questioning whether operators across the affected industries had sufficient opportunity to explain the possible consequences for their businesses.
Parris also approached the issue from the perspective of a parent, recalling sleepless nights while his adult son was out socialising with friends.
He said there were occasions when he personally collected his son after a party or lime and spoke with him about excessive alcohol consumption and the importance of getting home safely.
Rather than relying only on restrictions, Parris suggested Government could explore incentives for entrepreneurs operating designated transportation services to collect and return young people safely from fetes, parties and other events.
“What if Government creates a system giving incentives for entrepreneurs who can be designated to drop and pick up our young people after a fete or a lime?” he asked.
The Mayor further questioned whether promoters, entertainers, Carnival and J’Ouvert band operators and bar owners, including those aligned with the governing UNC, were consulted about the legislation’s possible effect on their livelihoods.
Parris said he supports efforts to develop society and encourage responsible behaviour, but argued that significant social changes should be supported by consultation, statistics and data.
He described the legislation as potentially “high-handed” and questioned whether less restrictive approaches, combined with education, personal responsibility and safer transportation initiatives, had been sufficiently considered.
The legislation itself does not impose a new alcohol tax. Its potential commercial impact would instead come from measures including the higher minimum purchasing age, stricter rules for licensed premises and substantially increased penalties. For example, knowingly selling alcohol to someone under 21 would carry significantly increased fines and possible imprisonment, while the proposed fine for permitting drunken, violent, quarrelsome or disorderly conduct on licensed premises rises from $3,000 to $100,000.
Councillor Robert Parris, AAS, BT, MBA Mayor of the City of San Fernando