RSVGPF issues warning to delinquent alcohol retailers

At least two persons here have been arrested and charged for selling alcohol without a license or selling without renewing their licence.{{more}}

And as a result, the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) has issued a warning to delinquent alcohol retailers that they will be prosecuted if they fail to pay their liquor licences.

According to a police press release on Wednesday, the RSVGPF is seeing a trend where there are “too many defaulters” of liquor licence payments.

“And as a result, the police will be taking steps to clamp down on this situation,” the release states.

According to the release, the local constabulary is reminding the public that Volume 14, Chapter 473 of the Laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, section three (3), subsection one (1), warns that no intoxicating liquor is to be sold without a license.

“Any person who sells, exposes for sale or disposes of any intoxicating liquor without being duly licensed to sell the same, or any place or in any manner that he is not authorized by his license to sell the same, is guilty of an offence against this Act”, states Volume 14, Chapter 473 of the Laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, section three (3), subsection one (1),” the release further reads.

The release also states: “Some vendors believe that because they only sell beers they do not have to possess a liquor license for doing so, but this is a misconception. All refreshment houses throughout St.Vincent and the Grenadines must have a liquor license for the sale of alcohol. A refreshment house under the law is described as “any house, room, shop or building kept open for public refreshment, resort or entertainment.”

On July 29th, 2013, Pat Ralph of Walvaroo was found guilty of an offence on January 28th, 2013, where she exposed for sale intoxicating liquor without being duly licensed to sell same. Ralph was fined $2,500, and ordered to pay $500 forthwith or spend two months in prison.

Also, on January 21, 2014, Kathleen Bailey of Cane Garden was found guilty of an offence at Middle Street for, being a registered liquor licence holder, failing to pay her licence while selling alcohol. She was fined $2,500 and was ordered to pay $500 forthwith or spend three months in prison. Prior to the conviction, Bailey’s liquor licence was last paid on October 22nd, 2012, for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters of the license period 2012.

The release also advised businesses with the wrong liquor licence to get this corrected.

“There are cases where a restaurant may have a Class 3 license when it should actually have a Class 6 or 8 license,” the release added.

Persons engaging in wholesale should have a Class 1 licence, which costs EC$250 Quarterly; Class 2, Retail town licence, EC$150 Quarterly; Class 3, Retail country licence, EC$110 Quarterly; Class 4, Retail Grenadines license, $110 Quarterly; Class 5, Hotel licence, EC$315 Quarterly; Class 6, Refreshment house license, EC$315 Quarterly; Class 7, Occasional licence (per day), EC$125; Class 8, Bottle licence, EC$250 Quarterly; and Class 9, Proprietary club licence, EC$315.