Parliament Approves Law Against Drinking at Funerals
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – Parliament has approved legislation making it an offense to consume alcohol in a funeral procession but stopped short of preventing the consumption of alcohol at a cemetery because the government said the boundaries of cemeteries are not clearly defined.
Law Passed with 13 Government Lawmakers Voting in Favor
The 13 government lawmakers, including Attorney General Grenville Williams, who was present, voted in support of the law, which could see violators arrested and fined up to EC$200 (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents).
Opposition Disagrees with Law
The opposition did not support the bill, arguing that while it does not support alcohol consumption in funeral processions, the law will create more problems than the one it proposes to address.
Prime Minister Presents Bill
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, who piloted the bill, described the legislation as "straightforward." He said it creates an offense of unlawful possession or consumption of intoxicating liquor while being part of a funeral procession through a highway, road, or another thoroughfare. The penalty for the offense, on summary conviction, is a fine not exceeding EC$200.
Law Intends to Maintain Solemnity at Funerals
Gonsalves said the law has become necessary because of the factual situation where, increasingly, in funeral processions, people are seen with beers, rum drinking and shouting and not involved in anything concerning the solemnity of a funeral procession or even the celebration in song of the life of the person whom we are burying.
Limitations of the Law
The law does not extend to the cemetery because the government said the boundaries of cemeteries are not clearly defined. Gonsalves dismissed the suggestion that the new law would consume a lot of police resources to enforce, noting that there are several pre-existing offenses related to drunkenness and religion that "the police don’t take up a lot of time with it."
Conclusion
The law aims to maintain solemnity at funerals, which does not mean that one cannot sing, play steel band, play music, beat drums, dance, or have a repast. The law does not intend to prevent individuals from celebrating the life of the deceased, but rather to prevent the disruption of funeral processions and maintenance of respect for the deceased.
FAQs
Q: What is the penalty for violating the law?
A: The penalty for violating the law is a fine not exceeding EC$200.
Q: Does the law apply to cemeteries?
A: No, the law does not extend to cemeteries because the boundaries of cemeteries are not clearly defined.
Q: Why did the government pass this law?
A: The government passed this law to maintain solemnity at funerals and prevent the disruption of funeral processions.
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