Many Businesses That Sell Alcohol Can’t Open on Christmas Day

On Tuesday, we reported that a few persons had expressed concern over an announcement that under the Liquor Licensing Act, certain businesses that sell alcohol are not permitted to open on Christmas Day. Today, the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams shared the list of licenses that do not permit the businesses that hold them to open on that day. The notification was circulated to all police formations, sub-formations and commanders of those formations throughout the country. It includes the specific times that businesses with specific licenses must close on Christmas Eve and when they can reopen for business. While the law has been in existence for decades, this is a decision that the Belize Police Department has made to enforce for Christmas Day, which this year falls on a Sunday.