The alcohol ban is unsupportable

Kgosietsile Ngakaagae | Friday August 7, 2020 12:49

In fact, the current lockdown of the Greater Gaborone Area, was almost universally approved by the citizenry, including the hard-hit Greater Gaborone Area. That is testamentary to Batswana’s preparedness to be part of the national effort towards fighting the virus. Driving through Gaborone, it is quite clear that most people have remained at home. Shops generally observe COVID-19 protocols. I get very concerned when the irresponsibility of a few is used as an excuse to punish, or manipulate the law-abiding many, especially where that can be avoided.

For many, so long as other regions were trading, the collapse of the national economy could be avoided. The last substantive address by the finance Minister, painted a gloomy picture of the national economy.

Our resources are dwindling and government may not be able even, to extend the social security net for long. As it is, the current lockdown was declared without any arrangement in that regard, being put into place. The longer this war rages on, the more there will be a need to adopt a balanced approach that can minimise the health risks to the public, and the possible collapse of the economy.

I have generally been very appreciative of government efforts in that particular regard. It is just some decisions, that I find really disappointing.

When questioning the sensibility of government approaches, the pedestrian answer invariably received is that the virus has no respect for politics and legal opinions.

This is a statement made to avoid a debate of the merits and demerits of the government policy in question. It promotes the COVID-19 effort into an entirely health issue, where politicians might as well sit home and hand over government to the medical fraternity. Of course, politicians are the ones who peddle the refrain the most, purely to avoid the answers. I am of the firm belief that all policy that impacts on the citizenry, especially COVID-19 related policy, must be honed and perfected through honest and rigorous criticism.

When Honourable Minister, Peggy Serame, announced the countrywide public ban of alcohol for an indefinite period, I wondered what government was actually trying to achieve. I must state, with respect, that the decision is altogether unsupportable.

 We seemed to have graduated from a panic approach to a more nuanced approach based on both health and economic realities. It is fair to say that this decision on the part of government, is unmerited. For a start, there is no evidence that any of the current cases have anything to do with alcohol consumption. Quite apart from that, the reason given was always extant, even at the period of the unbanning of alcohol sales. It is not a new discovery.

There must be a connection between the measure taken by government and the problem sought to be addressed. As it is, such a connection does not exist. The decision is either simply convenient or emotional. Even supposing, that any of the recent outbreaks had been traceable to alcohol consumption, such would not warrant wholesale industry closure.

We cannot, and will surely not, be closing whole economic sectors just because four or five people within such have failed to adhere to protocols. The measure constitutes an abuse of State power and it is the economy that will pick the bill for such indiscretion.

It is fair to say that in some cases, alcohol consumption can lead to people being rather lax, in terms of adhering to COVID-19 protocols. Even if such a point was to be conceded, it still begs the question as to whether the response is proportionate to the problem. Why for example, are businesses not being allowed to do home deliveries of limited quantities to keep the sector alive.

Is it impossible to come up with customised measures that would ensure a balance been health and industry concerns? Why has the government decided to extend the ban, indefinitely, even to areas where there is no lockdown? So much of the economy is being affected unnecessarily, including the hospitality sector. Businesses, are finding it hard to pay rent and are running up debts. It’s a mess, and government is not helping the situation with unmerited decisions.

It is important, again to ask why the mischief cannot be dealt with through available law enforcement interventions as well as further public education.

Let us remember, that this is happening at a time when government has been blowing hot and cold over COVID-19 scorpions. Government has not even tried to raise a volunteer army from the civilianry, to augment law enforcements efforts. I regret to opine that the closing of the alcohol industry, has nothing to do with COVID-19. On the contrary, alcohol is being used as a power tool to manipulate the public the same way Somali war lords used hunger to control the public. The question is as to why government needs to do that. It makes no sense.

Make no mistake about it, the prohibition of alcohol will not stop the consumption of alcohol. On the contrary, it will only make alcohol expensive and put thousands of people out of jobs. Further, it will only serve to reactivate the black market and to divert revenue from the fiscus. Moreover, important law enforcement resources will be diverted to chasing bootleggers, as opposed to ensuring protocol adherence.  The decision is unsupportable.