Sammy’s Airport Inn has been placed on probation until December following a complaint to the Liquor Licensing Board by a concerned citizen, backed up the Liquor Inspector.
At the annual session of the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman Thursday, concerned citizen Ms Carmalee Watson said that she had seen evidence of dancing at the premises on Sunday nights, which is against the law.
She had also observed, on entering the premises, that two young men were smoking ganja and there were teens there drinking alcohol, who then took the drink to cars parked across the road outside the Fire Station. Ms Watson also said she had never seen any security there.
‘I’d prefer to see Sammy’s complying with hotel rules, because it is a hotel,’ she said, emphasising that dancing is not permitted on Sundays in the Cayman Islands.
When asked by Board Chairman Mitchell Welds if she was against the continuation of its licence, Ms Watson said, ‘Well, it probably could remain if it did not have dancing on Sunday and if after 10pm the bar shuts down, because it is a hotel’.
She said since it is a hotel people would be going to bed so the bar would cause disturbance after 10pm.
When questioned if she was an employee of the hotel, she said she was not, that she lives on Eastern Avenue.
Licensee for Sammy’s Airport Inn, Mr. Majid Yasim said he denied everything Ms Watson said.
The hotel has security and he does not know how the bar is a disturbance to guests as he is fully booked up and would not be if this was the case, he said.
He admitted that there had been incidents of ganja being smoked on the premises, but he had called the police and arrests had been made.
Under questioning from Mr. Welds, Mr. Yasim said he had kicked out some people for smoking ganja. When asked if he had allowed these people to come back Mr. Yasim said, ‘It’s possible’.
Juvenile drinking does not happen, he said, because the staff knows if they serve a minor they will lose their jobs.
He said a jukebox plays music until midnight on Sundays. This is open play, with the premises’ own collection of compact discs. He questioned Ms Watson’s motives for complaining. ‘If the people next door and staying in the rooms are not complaining then why is someone from Eastern Avenue complaining?’ he said.
Under questioning from Mr. Welds, Mr. Yasim confirmed that he manages the entire premises.
Mr. Welds said the board had received complaints from Liquor Inspector Donald Green that there are DJs playing and that dancing takes place on Sundays.
Mr. Yasim said that some patrons move to the music, but he was not sure that could be classified as dancing. ‘I leave it up to your interpretation,’ he told the board.
He said he has been in Grand Cayman three years and resides here permanently, living in the hotel.
Ms Watson said she had no personal issues with Mr. Yasim, but the operation of the hotel is a concern to her.
‘I object to his music on Sunday night,’ she said, adding that she walks through all nightclubs on the island to observe what is happening in them.
She explained that outside of the bar there are DJs playing at Sammy’s Airport Inn.
Mr. Green said he could substantiate the complaint. On Sunday nights Sammy’s Airport Inn is in breach of the law. There is a DJ outside playing different music to that inside the bar. This music being played outside could be heard across the street, he said. Last month he had witnessed dancing and whining there on a Sunday.
Mr. Green said he was concerned whether the licensee was aware of what is permitted on Sundays as the premises is in breach of that.
Sergeant Maggie Baldino said police reports indicated a breach of the liquor law and two disturbances at the premises this year up to September 7.
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