"We're just doing our job, say promoters - The Straits Times May 21, 2015
Clampdown on beer promotion at hawker centres after feedback
A recent clampdown by the National Environment Agency (NEA) on beer promotion in hawker centres was a result of "feedback" from patrons and stallholders about problems it was causing.
Disamenities include touting or harassment of patrons when promoters compete for business. Active beer promotion also leads to drinkers hogging tables for hours.
In a letter sent to a hawker, NEA said it had conducted a joint enforcement inspection with the Singapore Police Force and found beer promoters at the hawker centre. The agency then requested the stall to "cease engagement" with the beer promoters.
It has not been allowed in hawker centres for those reasons since 1995, said NEA, stressing it would investigate and take enforcement action if it got such feedback."
This 'enforcement' news is a shock for sure.
Lessons for me are:
1. a case of 'woke up from sleeping on the job' or 'we want to be lenience and tolerance until negative public feedback is received'? I like the latter one;
2. a case of 'worrying too much about potentially explosive chaos from drunkenness by ordinary citizens, especially the retirees, who really should not be spending their 'little retirement money' on drinking beers'? I hope so. Though the 'matured drinkers' will feel that their liberty to spend their own money has been indirectly inconvenient! They can still see the beers promoters of their choice. Just not in the NEA-run hawker centres!;
3. is this too much 'interference by the state' on what can and cannot be done in public spaces? I am not sure as I don't hang around hawker centres with beers promoters too much. However, if the 'joint inspection and consultation' with the public living near the hawker centres revealed 'laws and orders' and 'disamenities', maybe it is reasonable? It is anybody guess really.
Our world has just gone a bit more 'controlled'. Good?
Clampdown on beer promotion at hawker centres after feedback
A recent clampdown by the National Environment Agency (NEA) on beer promotion in hawker centres was a result of "feedback" from patrons and stallholders about problems it was causing.
Disamenities include touting or harassment of patrons when promoters compete for business. Active beer promotion also leads to drinkers hogging tables for hours.
In a letter sent to a hawker, NEA said it had conducted a joint enforcement inspection with the Singapore Police Force and found beer promoters at the hawker centre. The agency then requested the stall to "cease engagement" with the beer promoters.
It has not been allowed in hawker centres for those reasons since 1995, said NEA, stressing it would investigate and take enforcement action if it got such feedback."
This 'enforcement' news is a shock for sure.
Lessons for me are:
1. a case of 'woke up from sleeping on the job' or 'we want to be lenience and tolerance until negative public feedback is received'? I like the latter one;
2. a case of 'worrying too much about potentially explosive chaos from drunkenness by ordinary citizens, especially the retirees, who really should not be spending their 'little retirement money' on drinking beers'? I hope so. Though the 'matured drinkers' will feel that their liberty to spend their own money has been indirectly inconvenient! They can still see the beers promoters of their choice. Just not in the NEA-run hawker centres!;
3. is this too much 'interference by the state' on what can and cannot be done in public spaces? I am not sure as I don't hang around hawker centres with beers promoters too much. However, if the 'joint inspection and consultation' with the public living near the hawker centres revealed 'laws and orders' and 'disamenities', maybe it is reasonable? It is anybody guess really.
Our world has just gone a bit more 'controlled'. Good?
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