Owners of bars, restaurants, drinks and nightclubs protested yesterday in front of the Ministry of the Interior and Police (MIP) for the implementation of the measure to reduce hours for the sale of alcoholic beverages in Greater Santo Domingo.
“Resign, resign, resign,” was how the owners of nightclubs shouted as they marched until they reached the access door of the Juan Pablo Duarte building, better known as El Huacal, where the Ministry is located.
”December is coming. We were closed for 2 years due to the pandemic, we had no help from anyone and now they come to close our businesses. I still have debts for four months of rent as a result of covid-19, so now they won’t let me work in peace,” said Rey Félix.
Likewise, in the aforementioned place, hundreds of owners and representatives of nightclubs with banners and drums demanded the resignation of Minister Jesús (Chu) Vásquez.
While others questioned the measure saying: “November and December are the best months for sales to be able to pay bonuses and doubles to our employees.”
They will not give their arms to twist
Junior Gonzaléz, president of the Dominican Union of Nightclub Owners (Upecend), established that they will not give up.
He emphasized that they will continue in the streets until the State security entity discontinues the resolution that affects that sector.
The resolution came into effect on November 7 and limits the sale of alcoholic beverages from 12:00 in the morning to 8:00 in the morning.
In that order, at the beginning of the week through a press release, the Ministry of the Interior and Police explained that the measures were taken after a high-level meeting.
According to the letter, the purpose of the measure is to maintain the security and peace of citizens in the municipalities of Boca Chica, Santo Domingo East, West, North, Pedro Brand, San Antonio de Guerra and Los Alcarrizos and the National District.
Many people would be unemployed
The director of the Association of Bars and Restaurants of Ciudad Colonial, Grace Heyaime, said that locking up the country does not work. She expressed that other measures must be taken to maintain public order, such as increasing police surveillance. “Any time you take these types of measures against businesses, you have to think about the number of people who lose their jobs.”
