While the minister is of the view that the proposal would have significant positive economic impact, the entertainment industry players believe otherwise. The issue has over the weeks become a hot potato. But what is of essence right now is that the country needs liberal ideas to move in the right direction While opening up the economy may sound quite interesting to the ear, rolling out extended trading hours through pilot programmes without first consulting those most affected is not just poor process, it risks undermining the legitimacy of the policy itself. Public policy, particularly one as complex as a move towards a 24-hour economy, cannot be built on a ‘test first, consult later’ model.
By the time pilots are underway, positions begin to harden, investments are made, and outcomes can start to feel preordained. Consultation at that stage risks becoming a formality rather than a genuine opportunity to shape the direction of policy. A credible approach demands the opposite sequence. Engagement must come early, before implementation, and it must be more than a box-ticking exercise. The range of voices needed here is quite broad: major hospitality groups with significant capital at stake, small operators working on thin margins, public health experts concerned about alcohol-related harm, law enforcement managing late-night safety, and residents whose communities will absorb the impact. Leaving any of these groups at the margins weakens both the policy and public trust in it.
