Attorney-General Siromi Turaga today tabled the motion that Parliament debate the opening hours of nightclubs under the Liquor Amendment Bill on Friday.
The proposed Bill will see nightclubs in the special zones areas close at 1am.
Opposition MP Jone Usamate while speaking on the motion said he was flabbergasted by way that the Attorney-General brought the Bill to Parliament under the Parliamentary Standing Order 51, which will be debated without delay this week.
Usamate said more consultations should have been done and that this be referred to a Standing Committee.
He said that businesses would lose out on its profit margins if the Bill is enacted.
Since there was opposition to the motion, a vote was taken where 25 members voted in favour, 17 voted against the motion while 8 chose not to vote.
Background
The Liquor Act 2006 provides for inter alia the regulation of liquor licensing and permitted hours for the sale of liquor, and has generally had a direct link to the opening hours of various venues which sell liquor.
Under the Schedule to the Act, special zones are identified as areas in the Suva and Nadi.
The Attorney-General said that in recent years, there have been numerous reports regarding brawls, robberies, and attacks during the early hours in Suva and Nadi and this has also resulted in serious injury and or loss of lives.
He said therefore the Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2023 seeks to amend the Act to remove special zones which provides for the sale of liquor for extended hours in taverns, restaurants and nightclubs for areas in Suva and Nadi.
If Parliament passes the Bill, the amending legislation will come into force on a date appointed by the Attorney-General.
