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{
    "id": 450164,
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    "content": "this Act from applying to county governments so long as it is consistent with the county legislation. In Clause 10, Section 7 of the principal Act is amended so as to criminalize the conduct that contravenes the section and also remove the exemption granted to Parliament and the disciplined forces from complying with the provisions of this Act. Let me explain. Those who are involved in alcohol trade and consumption are aware that certain provisions relating to consumption of alcohol and the conduct of those who consume it, those provisions exempt certain places from some of the regulations including Parliament and disciplined forces, what they call the Armed Forces Canteens Organization (AFCO). This is a place where the military have their drinks. The attempt here by this Bill is to make sure that we control alcohol across the board. In other words, the immunity of parliamentary precincts and places used by the armed forced or the disciplined forces when they sell and consume alcohol are subject to the normal regulations that apply to other places. Mr. Speaker, Sir, Clauses 13, 14 and 15 seeks to amend the Act so as to restructure and to establish the district committees as county committees again in line with devolution, just to ensure that what existed under the old Constitution which had the provincial administration is restructured so as to bring in the element of devolution in the county, sub-county and downwards in accordance with the new Constitution. There is also Clause 16 which has arisen out of the difficulties that have arisen in the past few years of implementing the rule that says that you cannot have liquor outlets within a radius of 300 metres from an educational facility. It is proposed in this legislation that a county committee may issue a licence to a premise located within 300 metres of any nursery, primary, secondary or other learning institution for persons under the age of 18 years only if the premise is secured by a physical and non-transparent barrier that ensures zero visibility of the premise from the locality of the institution and the premise displays on its outside any of the prescribed health messages. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am told that it has been very difficult to say that you cannot have a bar or liquor outlet within 300 metres of a learning institution. Why? Because most of our universities have all come to town and every 100 metres you will find a university campus, you will find a college and all manner of training institutions. So, it is not practical. What this provision is trying to do is to say that under special consideration, the committee at the county level can licence this outlet but on two conditions: First, that place where they are selling liquor must be enclosed in a manner where the students in a nursery, primary, secondary or college cannot see what is happening inside if it is very close to that institution. Secondly, other than the visibility aspect, there must be some announcement displayed to tell people the usual things; no alcohol for those under the age 18 years old, consumption of alcohol is harmful to your health and so on. That is what Clause 16 is trying to do. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the other thing which I need to highlight very quickly is to do with the manufacturers. Clause 27 removes the requirement which existed that a manufacturer, distributor, importer or anyone may be in possession of an alcoholic drink that does not meet the requirement of the Act--- Sorry, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Clause 27 seeks to amend Section 27 of the principal Act so as to remove the implication in sub-section (2) that a manufacturer, distributor and importer of alcohol who does not meet the requirement of this Act is guilty of counterfeiting. Mr. Speaker, Sir, very quickly, let me just say for motorists also very briefly. The alcohol content has been reduced in this Bill from 1 per cent to 0.5 per cent content by volume. I do not The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}