Restriction on sale of alcohol on polling day |03 December 2015

The Seychelles Licensing Authority (SLA), in collaboration with the Seychelles Police and the Electoral Commission, has imposed restriction on the sale of alcohol by licensed vendors on election day.

The restriction will be effective from 11pm tomorrow, Friday December 4, until 8.30am on Sunday December 6 on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

This was announced yesterday during a joint press conference with the deputy chief executive of SLA Franky Madeleine and the public relations and communications manager of the Seychelles Police, Jean Toussaint, at the SLA headquarters on 5th June Avenue.

Mr Madeleine said the restriction applies to shopkeepers, operators of public bars including toddy, lapire and baka bars, dance halls, discotheques and members’ clubs.

He said the measure is to help in the orderly conduct of the presidential election on the main polling day on Saturday December 5.

Mr Madeleine said licensing inspectors together with the police will be monitoring things to make sure these licensed premises are respecting the restriction imposed for that day.

If any licensed operators breach the restriction they will have their license suspended or revoked, Mr Madeleine said.

On the other hand, bona fide clients of hotels can consume alcohol but only on their hotel premises. They are not allowed to bring them outside to drink. However, this does not apply to any member of the public who wishes to consume alcohol in a public bar in a hotel.

For his part, Mr Toussaint has reminded the public that there will be a significant police presence during the period of the presidential election.

Apart from the restriction that will be imposed, he said, there is also the aspect of consuming alcohol in public places which is also an offence.

He said apart from policing those public bars to make sure they are complying with the restriction imposed, the police will also make sure there are no other offences that are being committed in relation to alcohol consumption.

“Therefore, the police are appealing to licensees and members of the public for their help and cooperation,” Mr Toussaint said.