Proprietors win an hours reprieve

Proprietors win an hours reprieve

Power point presentation persuades authorities to relentA club owner presents his case

Closure Time 20 January, 2011 - After five hours of debate and discussion between the discotheque owners and the authorities over the discotheque closure time, the proprietors came out winners yesterday.

Closure time is extended by an hour and will close at 1 am, and not 12 am as decided before.About 30 proprietors of clubs, drayangs and bars met with the information and communication minister, Nandalal Rai, officials from trade, BICMA, home ministry, labour ministry and the royal Bhutan police, where club owners presented a power point presentation of how the new timing had affected their business.Lyonpo Nandalal Rai said the new closing time would remain at 1 am, until the situation demands a change. The issue is about the whole entertainment business in the country, and not about individual businesses, he said.Disco club owners, who had formed an unregistered association, proposed that they would increase the price of alcohol by 20 percent and entry fee to Nu 350 per head, so that not everybody could afford to come to the discos. This was targeted at screening youth. Club Splashs owner Kinley Penjor said they are willing to do what the government tells them to do if the old timing was maintained. Well strictly monitor the identity of people visiting discotheques, install metal detecting equipment and CCTV cameras to supervise the activities inside, but let the old timing resume, he said. The communication conference hall was filled with heated debate and confusion arose over who enforced the new rule and on what grounds. The minister explained that the government never questioned the opening time and was concerned about the closing time. Nightlife begins after dark. Clubs and bars can open early and close early, he said. Its vital to have standard entertainment time and ch! ange peo ples rigid mindset.Bureau of law and order director, Karma T Namgyel, said there is a need for holistic thinking in what should be next best substitute entertainment for youth, if the club or bar has to be closed early. Whether we keep same time or not, the matter is one should follow rules and regulation, he reminded. Among the blame game in the hall between agencies and owners, the club owners questioned the guarantee that youth will not form gangs after it closes at 12 am. We see people loitering even after 12 am until 2 am, said one. In response, RBP superintendent Phub Gyeltshen explained that closing time was not created to blame the owners for gang formation or nuisance. But he agreed the fact that most fighting or trouble takes place in the club, bar and drayangs vicinity. This, the SP said, was clear from the case they register every day at the police station. Were only implementing what were asked to, he said, adding if government asks them to close at 2 am police will do so.Meanwhile, a few owners expressed happiness with the change. After repeated pleading, our voices are heard, said one. Many agreed theyd have to educate the customers to adapt to the new timing. However, the closing time for bars and drayangs has remained the same, which is 10 pm for bars and 11 pm for drayangs. By Yangchen C Rinzin



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