Government confirms new booze board members

(CNS Business): A new line-up of faces will be on the Liquor Licensing Board as it moves into a new legislative regime following the implementation of the amended law this month. After more than a decade heading up the board, Mitchell Welds has been replaced by Campbell Law, Corporate Manager at Higgs & Johnson Corporate Services (Cayman). His deputy is local talk show host, Woody DaCosta, a PPM West Bay candidate at the last election who failed to win a seat. Noel Williams, who was the previous deputy chair, is the only member to keep his seat from the old board.

After numerous problems over the conflicts of interest of board members, many of whom were licensees themselves or had family member in the liquor business, the new board has increased from five to ten members. As well as Law, DaCosta and Williams, members include Magalyn Robinson-Clarke, Wayne Kirkconnell, Ralph Lewis and Phillip Tatum. Other members will come from the departments of commerce, planning and environmental health. They will all serve for a period of four years from 1 January.

On the Sister Islands the Cayman Brac and Little Cayman Board members include Dennis Ebanks as chair and Tisa Dixon as his deputy, while Jason McLaughlin, Siobhan Scott and Dalkeith Ebanks will serve as members along with civil servants from the same departments as on Grand Cayman.

The new liquor licence regime has lifted the moratorium on new licences. If at any time government chooses to re-impose the moratorium, it will need to specify how long it will last, rather than being permanently in place with Cabinet lifting the moratorium on occasion.

Licences will only be renewed in future if owners also have a relevant trade and business licence. This means an end to the renting or leasing of licences or the need to transfer from one business to another. Each business owner will be able to apply for their own specific licence.

Although the new regime has effectively put an end to the business of renting licences, those that now hold one have been given a three year breather before they are forced to either let go of the licence or match it to a trade and business licence for a retail outlet or other licensed premises, such as a hotel to a nightclub.

Tags: Featured, Liquor Licensing Board

Category: Local Business, Retail