23 Aug 2020

Parliament has rejected a motion that called on government to mobilise resources from Alcohol Levy Fund to address the tragic socio-economic circumstances faced by employees in the alcohol and entertainment industry.

The motion was tabled as a matter of urgency by Ngami MP, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama.

Mr Hikuama said the resources mobilised from the Alcohol Levy Fund would specifically augment salaries of all employees in the alcohol industry, who had lost wages due to the ban on sale of alcohol.

Mr Hikuama stated that resources from Alcohol Levy Fund would also provide a subversion to those employed in the entertainment industry who due to lockdown and State Of Emergency could not earn any revenue through their trade.

He requested that the levy be used to compensate businesses which had suffered damages directly traceable to the imposition of a ban on the sale of alcohol.

Furthermore he said it was estimated that the alcohol industry directly employed between 15 000 to 17 000 employees who were affected by the ban on alcohol.

He argued that there were 40 000 businesses affected that fall under alcohol industry such as entertainment, merchandise, advertising and transport.

The motion was subjected to a vote and a total of 29 MPs voted against it, 14 agreed to it while 20 were absent. ENDS