Shebeen protest called off

THE Namibia Shebeens Association (Nasa) called off yesterday’s planned demonstration at the coast after a meeting with an inter-ministerial committee.

The association had vowed that more than 5 000 shebeen operators would gather in Swakopmund in protest against what it called an “unequally implemented” Liquor Act. Nasa president Karipi Kandenge told The Namibian at the weekend that a compromise was found during the meeting with the inter-ministerial committee on Thursday.Shebeen owners had complained that different regions were implementing the Liquor Act differently.Although many shebeen operators rush to hand in their applications in time for regional liquor-licensing committee meetings, they are being turned down because some municipalities take too long to issue fitness certificates for their premises, the association said earlier.”We’ve decided that we’ll rather address each problem with the various regions specifically,” Kandenge said at the weekend, adding that Nasa was currently compiling a list of all shebeen owners whose applications had been thrown out.This list will then be handed over to the inter-ministerial committee, which will go through each application individually.”In about three to four months we’ll see,” he said, noting that by then another meeting between Nasa and the committee is scheduled to report back on progress made.Early last week, Kandenge had been preparing to direct 300 buses from across the country towards Swakopmund’s municipality building and the Erongo Governor’s office.Erongo, Karas and Hardap were some of the regions Nasa had identified as slow in implementing the Liquor Act, he said.Nasa president Karipi Kandenge told The Namibian at the weekend that a compromise was found during the meeting with the inter-ministerial committee on Thursday.Shebeen owners had complained that different regions were implementing the Liquor Act differently.Although many shebeen operators rush to hand in their applications in time for regional liquor-licensing committee meetings, they are being turned down because some municipalities take too long to issue fitness certificates for their premises, the association said earlier.”We’ve decided that we’ll rather address each problem with the various regions specifically,” Kandenge said at the weekend, adding that Nasa was currently compiling a list of all shebeen owners whose applications had been thrown out.This list will then be handed over to the inter-ministerial committee, which will go through each application individually.”In about three to four months we’ll see,” he said, noting that by then another meeting between Nasa and the committee is scheduled to report back on progress made.Early last week, Kandenge had been preparing to direct 300 buses from across the country towards Swakopmund’s municipality building and the Erongo Governor’s office.Erongo, Karas and Hardap were some of the regions Nasa had identified as slow in implementing the Liquor Act, he said.