E-Malt.com News article: Dominican Republic: Dominican National Brewery saw sale down 10% because of limits on alcohol consumption

The Dominican National Brewery (CND) revealed August 02 that its sales have dropped 10% resulting form the limits on alcohol consumption and said that no study has determined that alcohol increase crime, The Dominican posted August 03.

Whereas the Barceló and Bermúdez rum companies affirmed that they have yet to evaluate the impact from the limiting of alcohol sales at certain hours, and Barceló says that it will not be affected.

In a press release, the CND -the country's largest and one of the Caribbean's leadding breweries- said that the measure limiting alcohol sales will have a negative impact on hundreds of businesses, and thusly, on the Dominican economy, and many of its customers have expressed it.

It states its concern for crime’s increase, but also because in the discussions to seek solutions, a link between it and alcohol consumption has been established.

"We do not know of studies that sustain that link, nor evidence to affirm that most criminal actions occur in late hours of the night. However, those arguments are those that have served as support for the issuing of decree 308-06 that prohibits the sale of determined alcohol in hours," it adds.

In its view, those measures will have negative effects on thousands of businesses and the national economy. "This is the concern that many of our clients have expressed to us."

It stresses that it supports the fight against crime, but states that the decree limiting sales must be weighed, because it could cause greater damage to the Dominican people. "In the CND, the same as all Dominican citizens, we are worried about the increase of delinquency and crime in the country and are in favor that the government starts up an well articulated and weighed plan to completely confront this reality," it says.

It adds that, for that reason, they request to join forces and wills to find a true solution to this problem that affects the security and the tranquility of the nation without restricting individual liberties, the market’s dynamism and the country’s economic development.


04 August, 2006