Liquor Licenses Coming Soon??

[dv8]

first: i do come from an ex-communist country so i know about harsh laws and police state.

second: guess what, ever since we ditched communism people still vote left. because they want harsh law to be back. because they want the law to be executed. along with those, who break it - but that's another story altogether.

third: i pliz you, liquor licence to break the economy? alcohol IS NOT the first need. colmados will not go out of business just because they cannot sell cold beer. colmados sell plenty of other stock too and they will go on doing just that.

fourth: how many colmados versus how many households? there is a colmado next to the pharmacy. above the law, as it seems because it never closes as long as there are clients. it blasts music late at night and it houses few putas, local drug dealers and jobless bums living off their gringos/families. the neighbours want to sleep, they want to be able to come home without the fear of being molested.

fifth: in good old days in my country alcohol could have only been sold by certified shops and only at certain hours. people got used to it. people managed, because god knows he made us cunning, resourceful bastards. there was a small illegal melina (a place selling illegal alcohol, often homemade) on every street. heck, folks made their own vodka at home. my parents still had full equipment for moonshine production not too long ago. i know how to make it myself

 

[ExtremeR]

Obviously some people here confuse liberties with permissiveness and lawlessness and welcome when laws are not enforced.

donP

Isn't permissiveness liberty?? You're contradicting yourself on that statement. You want a police state?? please kindly head back to your country of origin and voila! problem solved...Thanks!

Leave the DR alone as how it is...

 

[El_Uruguayo]

I think there needs to be some happy middle ground to be found. While the North American system isn't perfect, neither is the DR's.

It seems that the permits issues would be more of a cash grab than anything, could lead to corruption at a higher level in order to be able to buy licenses, and then as in NA, eventually lead to leasing of these etc.

The true problem isn't the sale of alcohol, but rather the things that accompany it - loud music, minors drinking, and the associated violence. The issue is more of a municipal one, rather than one that needs to be handled by national legislation - there are already laws in place that prohibit sale to minors etc.

Basically what I'm getting at is that colmados and liquor estores are the main problem. I'm not talking about a few people having beers playing dominoes on the corner on a nice day, but more so the crowds of people that converge on the colmados to dance to music a volumes that can rattle your house until 2,3 even 5am.

First, neighbors can't sleep, especially children - we all know how kids need their sleep. Second, there's no security, no control, and nothing preventing minors from hanging out (and possibly be taken advantage of), I'm not talking 17 y/o, but rather 12-15 y/o at these colmado parties.

I'm all for 24hr drinking laws, but within limits, at bars or clubs where noise is controlled, minors are prohibited, and there is some semblance of security. But having colmados go unregulated, blasting music and keep the whole neighborhood up, simply is not fair. I think colmados should be allowed to sell alcohol until a reasonable time, and play music at a reasonable level - this isn't the case.

Ultimately it comes down to some sort of zoning - a concept that is apparently unheard of in the DR. Anyone can open up a colmado in a residential area and torment their neighbors with load music, anyone can open up a garage or muffler shop and spew fumes onto their neighbours and their kids.

It would be great if there was respect for the neighborhood, but there isn't - and that's where enforcement is needed.

I'm all for people having liberties and freedoms, so long as they don't infringe on others' liberties and freedom's. Having had my baby cry through the night several times, because of some stupid liquor store, blasting the same stupid dembo songs through the night, I have to side with what is good for my children, and others' children.

You want to party till the break of dawn, fine with me, buy a few bottles, invite some people to your own house and do it.

 

[ramesses]

every time i read one of those idiotic "leave DR be" posts i get seriously pi**ed off. you guys whine about the harsh laws in DR and making DR more like a nazi states of america. and then if someone robs your house or hits your car you are the first to bark, foaming at your mouth "where is the law? where is the police?"

who cares those new laws will make life more difficult to some nasty old fart passing his retirement years in DR, drinking from the morning and f**king hookers? DR is getting better so that dominicans can live better lives. stop holding back DR in the third world. let it move, let it progress. dominicans too want to live in a safe environment, sleep well at night without music blasting out, drive to see their family in the campo without the fear of being hit by a drunk young a**hole.

They keep writing the laws but no one is there to enforce them fairly. They need to get the police and the politians under control before any new law can make a difference.....people will never be safe until this happens.

 

[drstock]

A young lady of my acquaintance gave up life "on the street" and opened a bar. She is now leading a good, legal, proper life with no shame to her family and she is very happy to do so. The profits are tiny but she just survives after paying off the local police. Her bar is in a residential area and plays music into the early hours but she receives no complaints from local residents, who consider the bar a benefit to the community as far as I know.

It is unlikely that the bar could continue under the law as proposed, due to its location, but even if it could, it is unlikely that she could pay the licence fees AND the inevitable additional demands of the police. So what would she do? Go back on the street?

 

[belgiank]

I think there needs to be some happy middle ground to be found. While the North American system isn't perfect, neither is the DR's.

It seems that the permits issues would be more of a cash grab than anything, could lead to corruption at a higher level in order to be able to buy licenses, and then as in NA, eventually lead to leasing of these etc.

The true problem isn't the sale of alcohol, but rather the things that accompany it - loud music, minors drinking, and the associated violence. The issue is more of a municipal one, rather than one that needs to be handled by national legislation - there are already laws in place that prohibit sale to minors etc.

Basically what I'm getting at is that colmados and liquor estores are the main problem. I'm not talking about a few people having beers playing dominoes on the corner on a nice day, but more so the crowds of people that converge on the colmados to dance to music a volumes that can rattle your house until 2,3 even 5am.

First, neighbors can't sleep, especially children - we all know how kids need their sleep. Second, there's no security, no control, and nothing preventing minors from hanging out (and possibly be taken advantage of), I'm not talking 17 y/o, but rather 12-15 y/o at these colmado parties.

I'm all for 24hr drinking laws, but within limits, at bars or clubs where noise is controlled, minors are prohibited, and there is some semblance of security. But having colmados go unregulated, blasting music and keep the whole neighborhood up, simply is not fair. I think colmados should be allowed to sell alcohol until a reasonable time, and play music at a reasonable level - this isn't the case.

Ultimately it comes down to some sort of zoning - a concept that is apparently unheard of in the DR. Anyone can open up a colmado in a residential area and torment their neighbors with load music, anyone can open up a garage or muffler shop and spew fumes onto their neighbours and their kids.

It would be great if there was respect for the neighborhood, but there isn't - and that's where enforcement is needed.

I'm all for people having liberties and freedoms, so long as they don't infringe on others' liberties and freedom's. Having had my baby cry through the night several times, because of some stupid liquor store, blasting the same stupid dembo songs through the night, I have to side with what is good for my children, and others' children.

You want to party till the break of dawn, fine with me, buy a few bottles, invite some people to your own house and do it.

I completely agree with you, but a liquor licence will not solve that problem. As you say, only zoning, and a law regulating noise levels and hours will solve that. A simple decibel meter solves that. Enforcing fines here will be difficult, so first warning, second warning, third time closed for 2 weeks. Repeat offender, closed for ever.

People may say whatever they want, but I was a regular customer of little colmado's when I lived in Jarabacoa, and although they sold lots of little quantities (like shampoo for 1 wash), this is not where they made their money. They made their money on selling beer and rum to the domino-players, and the evening crowd. Having said that, I never noticed a noise-problem at any of those colmado's. So it is possible.

Enforcing an expensive licence on them, makes no sense, as it will just force them out of business. More unemployment, more crime as result. Not to forget the people who cannot afford to buy items in bigger quantities. A lot of families will buy a cup of rice, 1 onion, a 5 peso package of tomato paste, etc... at those places a day.

Just my idea...

BelgianK

 

[donP]

No change for a perfect state

Isn't permissiveness liberty??

Well, it seems that you do not know the difference... :tired:

You want a police state??

This thread shows that obviously I am living in one.
The policing institutions are involved in crime, drugs and corruption.

My home country has a police force which provides law and order on a high level. Their members are well trained and a good education is a requirement to join. People trust the police and feel protected by them.

Here it is the very opposite.

please kindly head back to your country of origin and voila! problem solved...Thanks!

Are you Dominican?

Leave the DR alone as how it is...

Of course, no change needed.
I understand. :classic:

donP

 

[Lobo Tropical]

every time i read one of those idiotic "leave DR be" posts i get seriously pi**ed off. you guys whine about the harsh laws in DR and making DR more like a nazi states of america. and then if someone robs your house or hits your car you are the first to bark, foaming at your mouth "where is the law? where is the police?"

who cares those new laws will make life more difficult to some nasty old fart passing his retirement years in DR, drinking from the morning and f**king hookers? DR is getting better so that dominicans can live better lives. stop holding back DR in the third world. let it move, let it progress. dominicans too want to live in a safe environment, sleep well at night without music blasting out, drive to see their family in the campo without the fear of being hit by a drunk young a**hole.

If you want to improve something start with the corruption of government officials on all levels, who are supposed to protect the citizens. That's where the DR is third world.
If you have honest police they could enforce driving laws.

 

[CaptnGlenn]

Don't worry everyone... back in my mis-spent youth, some of the most alcohol soaked parties, and most inebriated times were spent visiting a town on the Jersey Shore... (the SOUTH Jersey shore... not the area of the MTV show fame)... which was and still is TOTALLY DRY.. yes, you got it ... no alcohol sales at all!!!

Where there's a will, there's a way. Liquor licenses will not stop tourism, partying, or any thing else. What it will do is add to the red tape and costs for business owners, and supply an additional source of revenue to the govt. The bigger concern should be that maybe at least some of that revenue gets put to good (legal) use.

 

[AlterEgo]

Don't worry everyone... back in my mis-spent youth, some of the most alcohol soaked parties, and most inebriated times were spent visiting a town on the Jersey Shore... (the SOUTH Jersey shore... not the area of the MTV show fame)... which was and still is TOTALLY DRY.. yes, you got it ... no alcohol sales at all!!!

Ocean City??:cheeky: The residents just voted down BYOB this year. Still a dry town.

 

[dv8]

corruption of the government official a sign of a third world country? then i guess there is nothing but the third world out there! you must be a naive baby to think it does not happen in USA/europe. it does. only it's thicker and higher up. most of dr1ers here wish to see some of this sweet little dominican corruption back where they come from: but i was only doing 10 miles over the limit, officer! no need to take the points off my licence, it's such a small thing! how about you write me a ticket and we forget about it? wink, wink. do i have a permit for that? not really. but how about i slip you few bucks and you will write down i submitted all the paperwork so we can both be happy? wink, wink. my grandma's operation can be done next month because there are many other patients waiting? how about you take this little envelope and do it tomorrow? say it was an emergency, right? wink, wink.

there is zoning in DR already. no colmados or discos in purely residential areas. i mean good areas, because barrios - different world altogether. those will change very little, new law or not. the police may regulate some barrios, in others - they will not venture past the main street. correct me if i am wrong but i am pretty sure there are barrios all over DR where police never shows up unless it is to collect a body or two. do you think they will start poking in those places to hush music or to check up on beer sales in some puta dump?

dr1ers have the tendency to panic over nothing. any mention of new laws, regulations and legislation and people rave, fret and get their speedos in a twist. why so serious? this is a manana country. things do not happen fast here, from one day to the other. from a proposal of the law to passing it and finally executing it to the letter - many moons pass. by then you will slowly accommodate, you will not even see it coming. but it is great those laws are considered and put into work. and it's even better dominicans get to learn about them. in times they will learn to respect them and demand the respect. remember when the noise law came in? i did not believe in it myself. but slowly it started working. newspapers run stories about dominican people standing up for themselves and reporting discos and colmados to the police. and i see the places being closed down. good for dominicans.

as for the economy... real tourists come here to warm their flabby pale a**es in the dominican sun WHILE IN ALL INCLUSIVE RESORT. they will keep on serving as much booze a pasty pensioner can stomach. other turistas will know where to go to get their fix. well to do dominicans will go to nice places that will continue selling alcohol because they can afford the license. and poor dominicans? maybe it's time they spend their fria money on feeding their families. colmados will not close. apart from aforementioned colmado close to the pharmacy, that serves nothing but beer and chicle there is another, smaller one, further up the street. been there forever. has anything from matches to onions. but no alcohol. at all. and guess what? it does well. so wake up and smell stale rice and tomato paste - most dominicans go to colmados because they cannot afford shopping in bulk, not because they are presidente thirsty alcoholics. those are called gringos here...

 

[suarezn]

fourth: how many colmados versus how many households? there is a colmado next to the pharmacy. above the law, as it seems because it never closes as long as there are clients. it blasts music late at night and it houses few putas, local drug dealers and jobless bums living off their gringos/families. the neighbours want to sleep, they want to be able to come home without the fear of being molested.

fifth: in good old days in my country alcohol could have only been sold by certified shops and only at certain hours. people got used to it. people managed, because god knows he made us cunning, resourceful bastards. there was a small illegal melina (a place selling illegal alcohol, often homemade) on every street. heck, folks made their own vodka at home. my parents still had full equipment for moonshine production not too long ago. i know how to make it myself

Thank you for perfectly illustrating why putting up new laws wouldn't work...if the current law was being enforced then that Colmado would close at the time it is supposed to.

 

[donP]

Dreaming

...if the current law was being enforced then that Colmado would close at the time it is supposed to.

Quite right.
In fact, if the laws were observed in general and enforced against those who do not (no matter whom they are) and the courts applied them correctly, then this country would come close to paradise.

donP

 

[Expat13]

every time i read one of those idiotic "leave DR be" posts i get seriously pi**ed off. you guys whine about the harsh laws in DR and making DR more like a nazi states of america. and then if someone robs your house or hits your car you are the first to bark, foaming at your mouth "where is the law? where is the police?"

who cares those new laws will make life more difficult to some nasty old fart passing his retirement years in DR, drinking from the morning and f**king hookers? DR is getting better so that dominicans can live better lives. stop holding back DR in the third world. let it move, let it progress. dominicans too want to live in a safe environment, sleep well at night without music blasting out, drive to see their family in the campo without the fear of being hit by a drunk young a**hole.

To progress from a 3rd world to developed country it takes baby steps, one thing at a time..

Step 1) City to start a better system to clean up garbage on the streets and in parks.

Step 2) Dominicans stop throwing garbage on the streets.

Step 3) Evaluate after steps 1 and 2 have succeeded.

 

[MerengueDutchie]

I think there needs to be some happy middle ground to be found. While the North American system isn't perfect, neither is the DR's.

It seems that the permits issues would be more of a cash grab than anything, could lead to corruption at a higher level in order to be able to buy licenses, and then as in NA, eventually lead to leasing of these etc.

The true problem isn't the sale of alcohol, but rather the things that accompany it - loud music, minors drinking, and the associated violence. The issue is more of a municipal one, rather than one that needs to be handled by national legislation - there are already laws in place that prohibit sale to minors etc.

Basically what I'm getting at is that colmados and liquor estores are the main problem. I'm not talking about a few people having beers playing dominoes on the corner on a nice day, but more so the crowds of people that converge on the colmados to dance to music a volumes that can rattle your house until 2,3 even 5am.

First, neighbors can't sleep, especially children - we all know how kids need their sleep. Second, there's no security, no control, and nothing preventing minors from hanging out (and possibly be taken advantage of), I'm not talking 17 y/o, but rather 12-15 y/o at these colmado parties.

I'm all for 24hr drinking laws, but within limits, at bars or clubs where noise is controlled, minors are prohibited, and there is some semblance of security. But having colmados go unregulated, blasting music and keep the whole neighborhood up, simply is not fair. I think colmados should be allowed to sell alcohol until a reasonable time, and play music at a reasonable level - this isn't the case.

Ultimately it comes down to some sort of zoning - a concept that is apparently unheard of in the DR. Anyone can open up a colmado in a residential area and torment their neighbors with load music, anyone can open up a garage or muffler shop and spew fumes onto their neighbours and their kids.

It would be great if there was respect for the neighborhood, but there isn't - and that's where enforcement is needed.

I'm all for people having liberties and freedoms, so long as they don't infringe on others' liberties and freedom's. Having had my baby cry through the night several times, because of some stupid liquor store, blasting the same stupid dembo songs through the night, I have to side with what is good for my children, and others' children.

You want to party till the break of dawn, fine with me, buy a few bottles, invite some people to your own house and do it.

Just taking this post as an example... of how much anyone knows really... about the colmados in residential areas, they cannot operate with impunity in most areas.... The so-called junta de vecinos can and will have a chat with the owner.. the good thing about a junta de vecinos is that the neighborhood polices itself and they will decide what is allowed and what isn't.

In a working neighborhood loud colmado's are much less tolerated then in a part area.

 

[donP]

Colmad?n

In a working neighborhood loud colmado's are much less tolerated than in a part area.

Good move in BC...

Medio Ambiente clausura centros de bebidas - listindiario.com

donP