Cheers and tears

Friday 18th June, 2021

The government is behaving like an inebriated nitwit, doing exactly what it should not be doing during a grave health crisis. The ruling party pundits seem to think the only thing people lack in these troubled times is alcohol; it permitted online liquor sales. Thankfully, doctors succeeded in derailing the ill-conceived scheme. But there is no guarantee that it will not be reintroduced during or after lockdowns.

There is a catchy political slogan popular among Sri Lankans: emathilata caar, golayanta baar, janathawata soor—cars for ministers, bars for their henchmen and intoxication for the general public. This political aphorism has held true, over the decades, under successive governments, and the thinking of the present-day leaders exemplifies it.

What possessed the government to permit online liquor sales? Doctors have rightly pointed out that as many as 63 Sri Lankans die of various diseases related to alcoholism daily; this is more or less the number of lives the pandemic is snuffing out at present, here. They argue that the state expenditure on treating alcohol-related diseases is much higher than the revenue from liquor taxes.

The government has failed to ensure that the supplies of essential commodities reach the public efficiently during lockdowns. It has introduced a mobile delivery system, which is not working properly, and there are many complaints of the captive consumers being fleeced by vendors. Allegations abound that even some established supermarket chains abuse the online delivery system to cheat consumers who are made to pay for rotten onions, fruits, etc. Instead of streamlining the existing distribution system and providing economic relief to ensure that the people are fed, the government, in its wisdom, sought to introduce online liquor sales to quench the thirst of tipplers, of all people. Are the SLPP leaders themselves three sheets to the wind?

Problems, nay miseries that lockdowns bring about affect everyone. There is hardly anyone who is not troubled by the lockdown blues. Online liquor sales are certainly not a solution to any of these issues. They, if permitted, would have worsened the suffering of many families with their heads using credit cards for liquor purchases and racking up more debt in the process. The bigwigs of the government who conceived this crazy idea certainly need help from the men in white coats.

Some Excise Department grandees have reportedly sought to justify online liquor sales by claiming that owing to the temporary closure of licensed liquor outlets, bars, etc., bootleggers are having a field day. If so, then it is the fault of the Excise Department and the police. Illicit breweries and shebeens must be raided regularly and the culprits brought to justice. That is what the Excise officers and the long arm of the law are there for. The country is awash with illicit brews of all sorts because bribery and corruption are rampant among Excise officers and police personnel. They have allowed the illegal artificial toddy industry to thrive although extremely harmful materials such as old batteries and urea are used to manufacture the illicit brew, as SJB MP Buddhika Pathirana has revealed in Parliament.

Meanwhile, it is prudent to make all pandemic-related relief programmes female-oriented, for women husband financial resources much better than most men, and selflessly look after their families. Not that all men are selfish, pleasure-seeking creatures who neglect their families, but many males are addicted to alcohol, smoking and even narcotics in some cases and do not scruple to buy intoxicants at the expense of their families. This is why swarms of desperate men jostle and shove near liquor outlets when lockdowns are lifted, and unflinchingly waste their money, which could otherwise be used to meet the nutritional requirements of their families, especially children.

What should be given priority during lockdowns is feeding the public and looking after their health needs. Nobody dies due to being without alcohol for a couple of weeks; in fact, during ‘dry’ lockdowns tipplers’ health improves significantly as their vital organs get some rest. This is the best time for unfortunate dipsomaniacs to kick the habit. About 48 percent of smokers have done so, according to a recent news item in this newspaper. Lockdowns thus have the potential to control three pandemics—Covid-19, smoking and alcoholism. Let the government be urged to heed doctors’ advice.