The Department of Commerce and Investment held a special meeting on 26 July about regulations governing music and dancing at licensed establishments on Sundays.
The hour-long dialogue at Constitution Hall brought together the DCI’s enforcement team, the chair of the Liquor Licensing Board, representatives from various enforcement agencies, and some 40 people holding entertainment, DJ, and mobile music and dancing licences.
The department said the purpose of the meeting was to remind licensees that it is currently illegal for any licence holder, other than hotels or restaurants, to play music on a Sunday.
Charmane Dalhouse-Morgan, DCI’s newly appointed enforcement manager, confirmed that in July her enforcement team began conducting spot checks throughout the island every weekend.
“At DCI, our motto is to educate before we enforce,” she said. “Given the changes to weekend enforcement, we wanted to meet with licence holders to ensure the current rules relating to music and dancing are understood. Our goal was to give licence holders an opportunity to have their questions answered and to allow them to share feedback on our current processes.”
Liquor Licensing Board Chair Noel Williams emphasised the need for licence holders to be aware of the conditions set on each licence, and to observe these closely.
He also encouraged holders of mobile licences, who are required to notify the liquor licensing board each time they change their venue, to submit these applications to the board at least 30 days in advance.
At the event, panellists from DCI, WORC, the fire service, the police and the coast guard responded to audience questions, feedback and concerns.
In June, a private member’s motion in Parliament called on the government to allow licensed bars to play background music on a Sunday, provided the music is not heard outside.
Red Bay MP Alden McLaughlin, who brought the motion, said current regulation unfairly targeted Caymanian-owned bars, given that hotels were exempt from the ban.
Minister for Financial Services André Ebanks said government supported the motion in principle but had to take a comprehensive look at the issue as part of a wholesale revision of the act.
Panellists confirmed that the ministry had begun work to review the Music and Dancing Act. A public consultation on proposed legislative amendments will follow in the near future.
DCI plans to hold similar meetings with other categories of licence holders later this year.
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Hey, DCI – When is the meeting with the public? Especially those of us regularly calling noise complaints to the police stations?