Comments on: Shebeen or not shebeen? http://www.livingfordisco.com/2006/06/27/shebeen-or-not-shebeen/ Sun, 11 Dec 2011 03:31:33 +0000 hourly 1 By: Bill http://www.livingfordisco.com/2006/06/27/shebeen-or-not-shebeen/comment-page-1/#comment-128 Bill Fri, 30 Jun 2006 10:29:34 +0000 http://www.livingfordisco.com/2006/06/27/shebeen-or-not-shebeen/#comment-128 Thanks, Rachie and Jennifer, for helping me understand. Upon reading some news reports I see that it's largely an issue of bureaucracy and administration. Seems that license issuance under the Liquor Act requires documentation of ownership, among other things, which may be difficult to obtain. I agree with Rachie that it seems these concerns should have been addressed back when the Liquor Act became law, but again there may be reasons of which I'm unaware. Whether there would be ongoing regulatory issues, for cleanliness or hours of operation, I don't know - we have them in Boston but I do know it's not all the same in Namibia. Thanks, Rachie and Jennifer, for helping me understand. Upon reading some news reports I see that it’s largely an issue of bureaucracy and administration. Seems that license issuance under the Liquor Act requires documentation of ownership, among other things, which may be difficult to obtain. I agree with Rachie that it seems these concerns should have been addressed back when the Liquor Act became law, but again there may be reasons of which I’m unaware. Whether there would be ongoing regulatory issues, for cleanliness or hours of operation, I don’t know – we have them in Boston but I do know it’s not all the same in Namibia.

]]> By: Rachie http://www.livingfordisco.com/2006/06/27/shebeen-or-not-shebeen/comment-page-1/#comment-125 Rachie Thu, 29 Jun 2006 11:52:38 +0000 http://www.livingfordisco.com/2006/06/27/shebeen-or-not-shebeen/#comment-125 Bill - I\'m sure that they didn\'t lose sight of it. There just wasn\'t much else to do when sitting for hours outside the parliament buildings! Jennifer - I see you point, but I never thought that it was because bad memories of colonialism. I assumed that it was because they resented having restrictions put upon them by the government, and seeing as they have the right to protest, they did. One of the demonstrators was adamant that if they closed the unlicensed shebeens, the government owed them a job. Skewed thinking as far as I\'m concerned. Also, seeing as that many shebeen owners can manage to adhere to the restriction (which aren\'t rigidly enforced) without too much trouble, I still don\'t think they have a case. Ria - no I didn\'t. I\'ll try and download it. I don\'t get the world service -maybe I should tune in! Bill – I\’m sure that they didn\’t lose sight of it. There just wasn\’t much else to do when sitting for hours outside the parliament buildings!

Jennifer – I see you point, but I never thought that it was because bad memories of colonialism. I assumed that it was because they resented having restrictions put upon them by the government, and seeing as they have the right to protest, they did. One of the demonstrators was adamant that if they closed the unlicensed shebeens, the government owed them a job. Skewed thinking as far as I\’m concerned. Also, seeing as that many shebeen owners can manage to adhere to the restriction (which aren\’t rigidly enforced) without too much trouble, I still don\’t think they have a case.

Ria – no I didn\’t. I\’ll try and download it. I don\’t get the world service -maybe I should tune in!

]]> By: Ria http://www.livingfordisco.com/2006/06/27/shebeen-or-not-shebeen/comment-page-1/#comment-124 Ria Thu, 29 Jun 2006 05:01:18 +0000 http://www.livingfordisco.com/2006/06/27/shebeen-or-not-shebeen/#comment-124 Did you hear the World Service programme about alcohol (link <a href="http://www.thechangingworld.org/archives/wk25.php" rel="nofollow">here</a>)? The last part was very disturbing - illegal breweries in Kenya that had led to blindness and death. (God, I hate the World Service - they make such interesting programmes just when I need to get out of my car. Sometimes I pull over just before my destination so that I can hear the end of the programme.) Did you hear the World Service programme about alcohol (link here)? The last part was very disturbing – illegal breweries in Kenya that had led to blindness and death.

(God, I hate the World Service – they make such interesting programmes just when I need to get out of my car. Sometimes I pull over just before my destination so that I can hear the end of the programme.)

]]> By: Jennifer C http://www.livingfordisco.com/2006/06/27/shebeen-or-not-shebeen/comment-page-1/#comment-121 Jennifer C Wed, 28 Jun 2006 23:52:49 +0000 http://www.livingfordisco.com/2006/06/27/shebeen-or-not-shebeen/#comment-121 It probably has something to do with the restrictions that licences impose -- such as closing hours and cleanliness laws etc. Such restrictions could make the shebeens unviable. I'm sure it has more to do with the immediate practicalities of the matter rather than with traumatic colonial memory. After all, those of the West seem infatuated with a dominance and submission society --aka wage slavery -- and don't seem concerned with being colonised by the business class of their own socieites. These kinds of things rarely appear to bother anyone unless the measures imposed are draconian in some way. It probably has something to do with the restrictions that licences impose — such as closing hours and cleanliness laws etc. Such restrictions could make the shebeens unviable. I’m sure it has more to do with the immediate practicalities of the matter rather than with traumatic colonial memory. After all, those of the West seem infatuated with a dominance and submission society –aka wage slavery — and don’t seem concerned with being colonised by the business class of their own socieites. These kinds of things rarely appear to bother anyone unless the measures imposed are draconian in some way.

]]> By: Bill http://www.livingfordisco.com/2006/06/27/shebeen-or-not-shebeen/comment-page-1/#comment-118 Bill Wed, 28 Jun 2006 02:30:51 +0000 http://www.livingfordisco.com/2006/06/27/shebeen-or-not-shebeen/#comment-118 How strange! Perhaps they have lost sight of the original purpose of the demonstrations and it's just become a big (drunken?) party. Perhaps there is a (legitimate?) concern that the government's attempt to regulate the business will become heavy-handed. I'm sure there is a cultural memory of colonial rule in which the government was oppressive, and that may be a (misplaced?) concern now. All these question marks, because I can't claim to understand it. How strange! Perhaps they have lost sight of the original purpose of the demonstrations and it’s just become a big (drunken?) party. Perhaps there is a (legitimate?) concern that the government’s attempt to regulate the business will become heavy-handed. I’m sure there is a cultural memory of colonial rule in which the government was oppressive, and that may be a (misplaced?) concern now. All these question marks, because I can’t claim to understand it.

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