MLA queries booze ads

| 17/01/2013

Ezzard by dennie2.jpg(CNS): The independent member for North Side wants the local authorities to start enforcing the law which bans liquor advertising. Ezzard Miller has written to the director of public prosecutions (DPP) asking what legal authority is allowing the police, the Liquor Licensing Board and her office to ignore the provisions of the Tobacco Product and Intoxicating Liquor Advertising Law, which prohibits the promotion of both booze and cigarettes. Miller says he has concerns about the amount of promotion that alcohol gets in Cayman and increases in binge drinking among young people. (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)

“This matter of illegal advertising of alcohol is serious. The National Drug Council reports that binge drinking of alcohol increased from 7% in 1998 to 32% in 2010 among teenagers in 7 to 12 grades,” the MLA told CNS this week. “It’s an alarming increase, and while it cannot all be attributed to the advertising of alcohol, a large amount of it is.”

In his letter to the DPP, he points out the provisions in section 4 of the law that states: “No advertising concerning tobacco products or intoxicating liquor shall be broadcast from within the Islands or shown on any cinematograph display.”

The penalty, he says, is a fine of one thousand dollars, but although there is considerable advertising and promotion of liquor all over Grand Cayman as well as on vans, in the local press and flags outside bars, no one is being prosecuted, even though it is an opportunity for government to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

The money collected, he said, could be given to the National Drug Council and their programmes aimed at preventing alcohol and other drug abuse. The NDC has persistently stated that booze is Cayman’s most problematic drug and while illegal drugs are misused, the levels of alcoholism and dependency are a very real issue in Cayman society. Miller said that the liquor companies know the value of advertisements because they are very effective, as the increase in young drinkers demonstrates.

“A review of the last several years of the surveys done by the National Drug Council will indicate that the average age of alcohol consumption is trending downward, while liquor distributors, both wholesale and retail, reap the benefits,” he added.

Having raised the matter of the illegal advertising of alcohol in the Legislative Assembly, during his regular appearances on the Rooster talk show and in the media, Miller said there has been no response from the authorities.

“I have to assume that there is some legal authority of which I am not aware, which allows this to continue,” Miller states in his letter to the DPP. He pointed to the frequency with which the police and the DPP enforce the Misuse of Drugs law, which he said he supports, but the authorities appear not to be enforcing the tobacco product and intoxicating liquor law.

"The effects of the continued 'turning a blind eye' on the liquor establishments and the media outlets that facilitate them may be even worse, as it is a scientific fact that alcohol is the most frequently used “gateway” drug and it is counterproductive to allow the liquor establishments to overcome the setbacks caused to their sales by those who promote through education a reduction in the consumption of alcohol", Miller wrote.

As one of the members who passed the law in 1986, the North Side MLA added that the terrible effects of alcohol abuse on society were well documented, which is what prompted the members to pass the law in the first place.

In the letter Miller also points to the topical issue of the Legal Practitioners' Law. Against the backdrop of the debate about the new bill, he said he had learned that local law firms are recruiting non-Caymanians in foreign countries to practice Cayman law related to the financial industry, "knowingly in violation of the current Legal Practitioners Law, so much so that they are now holding the new Legal Practitioners Bill to ransom,” he added in his letter.

He said that he believed Cayman law firms who employ lawyers not admitted to practice law in this country but to do so in other jurisdictions, could be guilty of an offence under the existing law.

“Information coming to me from the legal fraternity in the Cayman Islands to try and persuade me to support the Legal Practitioners Bill in its current form, that includes provisions that will attempt to control and legalize this practice, indicates that such practice is wide spread and represents millions if not billions of dollars in income to these firms,” he said. This position appeared to be confirmed by the Law Reform Commission and revealed by Ian Paget-Brown at the Grand court on Wednesday.

Miller asked the DPP to provide him with the legal authority that allows the offence to take place or explain how such practices are not offences against the law. He said he was “reluctant to conclude” that there was selective enforcement of laws, such as the marine law on the one hand and the legal practitioners' on the other, because those who contravene that law have the resources to challenge its enforcement.

Miller also pointed out how one attorney involved with the ill-fated Tempura investigation was disbarred in his home jurisdiction for a similar offence, illustrating that this was not a trivial matter. He said particular laws should not be ignored by the authorities, when the people have entrusted them to enforcee all laws passed by their elected representatives.

See Miller's letter below

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  1. Anon says:

    Maybe Mr. Ezzard should try and ban Coca Cola advertising, as clearly it, not poor parenting, has lead to his district’s crack problems.

  2. Anonymous says:

    What you all fail to notice is that Ezzard's latest attack on alcohol ads is another battle in his war against Dart.  Ezzard has a fixation against Dart and has chosen him as his political lightening rod for national attention.

    You notice that Ezzard has been silent on the Dolphin Discovery taking the stingrays from the sand bar. That is because it is a local owner and Ezzard doesn't want the fallout.

    But if it were Dart taking stingrays Ezzard would be all over it ranting and crowing on Rooster and CNS.

     

     

    • noname says:

      Ezzard, You Go boy!  you are the ONLY politician that is concerned about what happens to our youth and the Caymanian people overall. The other politicians are intoxicated with developers and their money.

      EZZARD MILLER FOR PREMIER!

      HE'S WHAT CAYMAN NEEDS.

  3. Anonymous says:

    There are only  two options as I see it, and they are very clear.  We either: 1. change the law or 2. enforce the law.    I am fine either way.  What I am not fine with us having laws that are not enforced.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Can Mr. Miller please change his surname?  His election posters remind me of beer.  Yummy Miller Beer.  Beer the temporary solution to all my problems.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Ezzard, I admire your integrity and the fact that you take on the vested interests. Billions are spent on marketing alcohol worldwide – why? because it works. Is it healthy to have kids constantly bombarded with ads encouraging drinking  – any reasonable person would admit that its not. You turn on the radio and that's pretty much all you hear. But why stop with the marketing of alcohol, I think you will find childhood obesity here is off the charts, you should push for legislation requiring all fast food restaurants to publish the calories for each menu item at their establishments. Probably the most corrosive factor on the Caymanian way of life is the culture of conspicuous consumption that is becoming so pervasive. Why don't you try to convince your fellow elected representatives to set an example – get rid of the Mercedes, quit chasing after vast amounts of wealth, ditch the bodyguards, suburbans and the personal chefs, ride bikes and lose some weight…..

  6. Anon says:

    This will be great for the local economy!! Who wants all those pesky advertising dollars floating around?? Who needs those nasty liquor stores and their mostly Caymanian employees anyway?? I say ‘Let’s put as many people out of work as possible’!

    Maybe we can dig up some more dusty crusty useless laws and get rid of that annoying Internet thingy too! Oh and ban all TV (except TBN, of course) ! Oooh, I know let’s make everyone do the quadrangle Friday night at Ezzards house! I’ll bring the smoke pot!

  7. Anonymous says:

    100% of the liquor and beer advertising comes from one of a handful of Caymanian-owned liquor distributors.  All this pageantry…why not just open the phone book and make 3 calls if you truly are a problem solver?  

    • Loopy Lou says:

      Because that would not give rise to a soundbite on Rooster.  Why get things done, when you can generate self-publicity by talking about getting things done?

  8. B. Onneste says:

    The reason companies pay out large sums of money for advertising is because they know it works!  People, including kids old enough to read, see the ads promoting a product and think about trying it.  Not all do, fortunately.

    Question:  Why has nothing been said about this law being ignored before now?  Has the advertising of alcoholic beverages just started?  I think not!

     

  9. Anonymous says:

    And I should have said what is Mr Miller going to do about that??

  10. Anonymous says:

    No-one forces anyone to binge drink!!!  I would like to know how the younger generation of caymanian men have the funds to sit & drink at the bars & on street corners on Northside & Eastern Ave???  Always baffled me!  I work full time & have very little left over every month if any to spend on copiuos amounts of booze in a bar!!!  Only saying!

    • Anonymous says:

      I see this most with other nationalities

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, but we work hard to pay for it, so therefore we've earnt the damn right to drink whatever we please as long as its legal and we don't break the law as a result of consumption.

        These useless individuals that sit their lazy backsides outside local bars often use the proceeds of ill gotten gain, such as stealing conch, lobster or other peoples belongings to fund their drink and drug habits. Some are controlled by local 'businessmen' who utilise and exploit their weakness as modern day fagins, preying on local homes of mainly expats, (but not exclusively) and stealing high value items. These Fagin characters also ensure a healthy supply of illegal sea food for their own 'cook outs' where they shmooze with the influential and low lifes together. 

        Add into the mix the money that the CIG give them to keep them out of the way and they have a nice little pot to indulge their favourite past time.

        Try pulling your heads out of the sand and see what is really going on in Cayman. Of course the trouble is that you already know, the same as you know who's responsible, but you're too cowardly or too crooked to do anything about it.

        The joke is that Ezzard knows exactly the same people and what their up to, but would prefer to rant about a few signs and newspaper adverts. Why doesn't he concentrate on rounding up some of his constituents, you know, the real law breakers and menace to his Northside district. But that would mean he would have to speak up for and protect the silent majority, the expats and the tourists who he so despises.

        And try educating those who cannot seperate reality from imagination, teach them that advertising is just that and not some magic or evil spell that makes you do things you don't want to do. Stop making excuses for those who can't control their own impulses or who are weak minded and treat those who suffer from legitimate addictive illness. Educate your children to respect the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and gambling, just the way you do with crossing the road or swimming in the ocean.

        People will always drink, some will drink to excess, but as prohibition and the abstination movement proved in the US and the UK back in the early and mid 20th century, you wont stop the consumption, you need to educate the consumer and let them make up their own minds.

  11. Anonymous says:

    North Siders please vote this Bozo out of office,this has got to be the joke of the century.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sorry.  He's the best district representative anyone could wish for, although admittedly I wouldn't wish for him to be Premier.  As a North Sider, at least I feel I get good value for my tax paying money with my representative.  He looks out for our concerns, he looks out for his district and he really does REPRESENT us.  How many other districts can say their MLA's do likewise?  Furthermore, if it wasn't for Ezzard, much of the shit we have been putting up with from other politicians would be continuing and would never have been questioned.

      • Anonymous says:

        As a long sitting MLA, he is part of the problem as power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

        Just because he makes lots of noise doesn't mean you're getting value for money, it just means he makes lots of noise. I agree, he has asked some awkward questions, but then again he hasn't answered those awkward questions that apply to him.

        He's a grandstander, pure and simple, he see's an opportunity and exploits it for his own political ends, just the same as the rest do.

        Why is he ranting about the West Bay Road when he's a NorthSide MLA, why isn't he putting as much effort into the Cayman Kai stretch of Rum Point Drive that has been akin to a 3rd world track for several years now.

        Could it be that he doesn't give damn about the expats and tourists that regularly injure themselves whilst cycling or walking, or the damage to vehicles caused by deep pot holes and flying stone chips. Why doesn't he sort out the drunks and the crack heads that pester tourists or rob them on the beach, why doesn't he push for more pro-active policing to stop the burglaries and pillaging of the Marine Parks by local, known villians. Why doesn't he try to stop local idiots from using our roads as a race or drag track, (just take a look along our roads to see the skid marks from dangerous acceleration or spinning). And why doesn't he speak up for the poor Caymanians who are exploited by their own people, forcing them to live in sub standard accomodation whilst their countrymen just get richer and build bigger houses and buy bigger cars and boats?

        Why? I'll tell you why, because there are few votes in it for him. However, that's changing with the new voter registration and the rising population of decent, affluent Caymanians who know it can all be so much better for ALL North Siders.

        Yes, he's a true opportunist and exploiter of weakness, but is he the best man for the job, I suppose that depends on your moral integrity and sense of fair play?

    • Anonymous says:

      Too many 'jokes of the century' over the past few years to single out one…:)

  12. r sminth says:

    As usual Ezzard can point out everything, but what has he done for his own district…not much at all.  Maybe he can start by cleaning up the kids who hang out by the street opposite the barn.  I guess this is the welcoming committee for North Side.  

    • Anonymous says:

      Rubbish.  He's a damned good district representative and he does plenty for us and gives us a voice in the LA which is more than most can say.  There's no more guys hang out by this bar than any other bar on-island.  In fact there's many other bars onisland you should be more concerned about.  I live a short distance away from the Barn and the guys that hang out there are no more threatening a young puppy.

      • Anonymous says:

        Idiot, tell that to the tourists who drive past because of the screaching cars, the loud booming music and the erratic driving demonstrated by local morons who believe they are skilful drivers. Check out the skid marks outside the barn, is that the mark of young puppies, or irresponsible hooligans with little regard for the law, peace or other road users?

        Surely there wasn't alcohol in the numerous bottles that are dumped by the side of the road when they leave. Because that would mean that your 'puppies' are also DUI and breaking the law, ooops!

        What about the drop outs that sit all day every day playing dominoes, why aren't they doing meaningful work and how can they afford it?

        Oh yes, and what about the same 'young puppies' who frequent the barn that rob tourists on our public beaches and break into our homes to steal our hard earned possessions. What about those 'puppies' that strip our Marine Parks of sea life, including our turtles, conch and lobster for their own financial gain?

        Of course, not all customers of the Barn are breaking the law or disturbing the peace, but to blindly spout out that all is well on Northside is as stupid as it is naive. 

        We know who they are as do you, why don't you have the integrity to own up and deal with it instead of making pathetic comments that everyone knows are BS.

        This is Ezzards kingdom and if he's the best you've got, then god help us all.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Ok, Ezzard, you want that law enforced because you're Mr. Obey the Law, right?

    Are you in favour of enforcing the Animals Law with respect to keeping your animal contained?  Watch it now, I'm sure a lot of your constituents don't obey that law.

    What about enforcing the laws for bicyclists?  That seems to be ignored routinely and a lot of those people are the poor.

    What about enforcing the Pensions Law and the Insurance Law on every employer here?  Those guy control a lot of votes – are you in favour of prosecuting them all?

    Or Ezzard, is this just a sound bite that makes a complaint against the big liquor and media companies, where you get to look like you're fighting for what's right without having to pay a price with your voters.

    I thought so.

    • Anonymous says:

      "are you in favour of prosecuting them all?"

       

      Aahh, YES! if they are breaking the law.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Pandering for the Christian votes.

    ROTFLMAO

    Good grief.

  15. Anonymous says:

    What Ezzard need to do is find jobs for all them young boys up in Northside running around all day peeping into homes. 

    I am a resident of Frank Sound and for the last 3 years that Ezzard has been in the house can someone tell me what he has contrubuted to his district? Besides lorating everyone else?

    • Anonymous says:

      I think he did compile a list and went to the Ritz Carlton to see if any on thelist could be hired (or something similar), but the Ritz did not hire any – all the while, the Ritz is the largest holder of work permits in the Cayman Islands.

       

      Maybe you should try going to the Ritz and see if they can hire some of these young boys

      • Anonymous says:

        Most of these 'young boys' are unemployable and even if they were, do you think they could compete with the workload that their expat colleagues tolerate. How long will it be before they go sick, are frequently late, disappear during the work day, spend unreasonable amounts of time on their BlackBerry's, or just go fishing?

        Why should anyone hire these people, how have they ever proved their worth or value to an employer?

        Employment isn't a right, it is earnt through education, hardwork and loyalty.

        • Anonymous says:
          Well I guess you did not come here because of your excellent education.
           
      • Anonymous says:

        Not true. Miller started a HR company and offered to import Cubans and Hondurians for jobs at Ritz. His contract was rejected.

    • Anonymous says:

      Typical, someone has to do something for me. If there are people in northside who need a job, they need to get up off the asses and get one!!!

      Dress properly, act civil and professional. Don't walk into a office with pants halve way down their rumps and walking with a limp like one leg shorter than the rest. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for your own life!!!! Stop depending and expecting others to do every damn thing for you!!!!

  16. Anonymous says:

    Yes Ms. Richards (Director of Public Prosecutions) and Mr. Welds (Chairman of Liquor Licensing Board), what do you have to say in response to Mr. Miller's letter?

     

    You both are the figure-heads of your organisations and need to explain separately or together, why these contraventions of the law are seemingly being ignored. And dont pass it onto CG to answer, Ms. Richards you are getting paid big bucks to enforce all the laws of the Cayman Islands – you should not be cherry-picking.

     

    If you need help identifying each transgression of the law, let us know and a lot people will volunteer.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Yes, its the Ads….Just get rid of the Ads..  That's all..

    Is anyone surprised from this feel-good-policy, just pull on the heart strings gas bag?

  18. Frank says:

    This island really need to get with the times and stop trying to live in the past with the "Christian Values" that are forced on to the public. These values went out of the window years ago when the previous governments we have been seeing, none of which demonstrated these "values". Advertizing for alcohol is absolutely not a cause for underage binge drinking, this is lack of education/discipline being passed down from parents. Also, open the damn grocery stores on Sunday!! There is nothing "non-christian" about shopping for food and diapers for your family. The government says they are doing everything possible to help local business growth when realistically all they are doing is the opposite.

  19. Anonymous says:

    What a might path we lay.

  20. Anonymous says:

    Really?  Thats whats bothering you?  Maybe you should be more concerned about the lack of a good education for Caymanians.  Face up to the fact that they can NOT compete in their own home or anywhere for that matter because of poor parenting and even poorer education.  All your other problems are just a symptom of that.  And Mr. Millar blaming that on expats is not very helpfull.  The biggest problem a good business has on Cayman is dealing with the Caymanians belife that they are intitled to a good work ethic and the ability to put forth good work for their employers all evidence to the contrary.  You really want to help your people.  Push for a better education so they can take care of themselves.  And NO! What you have now is still not going to help them in the future.  The Caymanian kids of today will still have to take a back seat to anyone with a better education and work ethic just like everyone else in the world. Put some of you considerable efforts to pushing young Caymanians to get a real world education and training.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well said 07.13. And of course the best examples or proof of this is the MLA's driving home drunk….. causing accidents and getting away with it…

    • Anonymous says:

      We maybe be missing it here.

      What is right and wrong?

      Prosecute corruption? Only on the premier and a few others?

      If it is against the Law, enforces the Law, no one has to remind us this is an oath to office.

      Alternative, lets prosecute when it suits us, the Law only applies to some not all.

      Does that not sound familiar?

    • Anonymous says:

      “,,,intitled (sic) to a good work ethic…” A good work ethic is not given to anyone but is a component of a person’s character. It doesn’t matter how great an education one may have, if one has a bad work ethic one get very far, and yes they cannot compete in the real world. It is the sense of entitlement to be able to do what one wants to do – call in sick every Monday morning, be consistently late when one does come to work, spend half of the work day on personal cell phone (or on the work phone on personal calls) and still retain employment and receive benefits, salary increases, etc. sorry, it doesn’t work that way.

      The sorry side of this is that Caymanians are now viewedin the same light – negatively, even though we’re not all of the same ilk.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well said

  21. Anonymous says:

    Why is Ezzard so miserable! The man complains daily and solves nothing.
    Of all of the problems this country is now facing, this has to be one of little
    Significance. Reducing or removing the ads will not stop people from drinking so please get over it. As for the DPP I do believe they have their hands full along with the courts and legal aid.So Ezzard stop stalling and get back to work because you have tons of it left to do before the next election. This is what’s wrong with this country all the damn leader have ADD and keep jumping all over the damn so nothing gets done or is rushed to be completed. Can we please all take our riddlin and focus on the major problems we have the port, the dump, crime, the countries finances, educating our young people, employment. Come Ezzard booze ads now that’s a joke and I insult to the Cayman people.

  22. Anonymous says:

    What about food adverts if they were band then it might stop fat people

    • Anonymous says:

      Clearly many of our MLA’s do not grasp the need to lead by example including Mr. Miller. If he did he would not allow himself to continue to be morbidly obese which is a true national crisis and costs us millions every year in medical fees to treat the diseases that come with obesity. Deal with your own addictions first and lead by example and provide tangible solutions not just pointing out something else that you find wrong. Seriously have you ever uttered a positive statement in public about anything that wasn’t self-serving?

    • Anonymous says:

      Did I miss the 'weed' adverts….?

  23. Anonymous says:

    Go Bo Bo we need 9 more like you in the house

    The laws are the laws but the big buys do;nt think so

  24. Otherview says:

    Maybe the liquor companies will lower the prices of beer and wine
    And rum if they don’t have to advertise anymore. Advertising is expensive
    And must be put in the price.

  25. Anonymous says:

    Did he get bored with the west bay road deal? Cayman has got bigger problems than this! Get a life.

    • Anonymous says:

      I disagree! Cayman has a huge problem with abuse of alcohol and other drugs by young adults which is affecting their ability to take a responsible role in the community. Following the existing laws which prohibits excessive promotion of alcohol and tobacco may not cure the problem but at least will not contribute to it. After all a lot of thought must have gone into the laws in the first place so why ignore them now. I would also like to see a revisit of the  laws that allow liqour licenced premises to be open beyond 1 AM. The reported violent crimes that occur around these premises seem to take place in the early hours of the morning. Lastly, I congratulate Mr. Miller for speaking out on such issues and calling on the relevant authorities to take action. This is part and parcel of his responsibilities as a leader in this country and I wish more of our leaders would follow suit as drug addiction, including alcoholism,  is at an alarming level in this country and sticking our heads in the sand will not help.   

    • Anonymous says:

      Bigger maybe, but underage drinking and younger persons binge drinking is still a serious problem we have in Cayman Islands. Think of how many serious car accidents are occurring where alcohol and DUI plays a significant role.

       

      Let's hope those that are complaining about him bringing this up do not feel the effects of alcohol abuse.

  26. RRP says:

    To keep going on a previous post. Instead of blaming (without any scientific proof) the advertising let’s ask who is giving access to 7 graders to copious amounts of alcohol? Family, friends?

    Again, it is an issue of lack of education, parenting and supervision!

    Oh by the way my son is in grade 8 and doesn’t binge drink yet despite seeing the ads in the newspapers. And no, I don’t work for dart liquor companies or have any vested interest in the booze industry!

    Take responsibility for your action and don’t blame others.

  27. Anonymous says:

    Ezzard can you also try to stop our gas stations selling booze?  

  28. RRP says:

    Yes Ezzard let’s hit businesses hard and put the money into the national building fund.

    I am tired of people blaming external factors for their poor choices. Alcohol ads cause binge drinking, unemployment is caused by expats, poor graduation rates are blamed on facilities, port building failure is because of UK etc. People need to take responsibility for their actions, period! Let’s stop blaming others for our failures.

    The reason kids binge drink in grade 7 is because of lack of education and parental guidance and supervision.

    There is a massive increase in teen pregnancy from 1998 to 2012 but no businesses are advertising sex anywhere on island, are they?

    There is no scientific proof that those ads contributed to the increase in binge drinking you’re referring to. If there is, I stand corrected. In the meantime i think you’re making stuff up. If you cant show us the proof, stop living in 1986 and get rid of the stupid outdated law and let’s talk about how we start educating kids and young parents.

    • Anonymous says:

       

      So before you throw anymore stones get  far away from your glass house.
       
    • Anonymous says:

      Ummm – every bar advertises/uses "Sex" to sell their venues and shows, as well as alcohol consumption.

      DOnt beleive me – come to the East Event next week!

      PS – The bars should be prosecuted for serving and admitting minors – but then again their $$ Permits pays for the government wastage!!

       

    • Anonymous says:

      You appear to be missing the point that Mr. Miller is making. He is not argueing if the advertising produces bing drinking. He appears to be saying that if the law is on the books and someone is blatently breaking it, then we need to change the law s or inforce them on everyone, not selectively prosecute certain laws and ignore the others.

      The statistics he quoted are the facts as they are, I see nowhere where he said that they were the sole cause of binge drinking or where he suggest that as the reason it needs to be inforced. It needs to be inforced and not selectively ignored, simply because advertising alcohol and tobacco products is illegal in the Cayman Islands.

      I agree 100% with the principle that Mr Miller is advocating, NO laws in the Cayman Islands should be for the select few only.

  29. Anonymous says:

    Great to hear this!

    BUT – Too bad the majority will oppose it, for the drinking culture is now engrained in Cayman…

    Pity!!

  30. Anonymous says:

    Wrong drum Ezzard!.

    He quotes the law saying that the advertising cannot be broadcast. Yep – so what law is being broken?

    Now I will stand corrected if there is a special provision in the fine print of the law that defines Braodcast to include all communication / forms of media. If it does not then perhaps he would like to get down off his soapbox for a  moment and take time to acquaint himself  with the English Language. Look in any dictionary and they will be consistent and confirm that broadcast is a very specific word that does not cover communication via media such as print of  banners / vehicles.

    Basically unless the law defines broadcast otherwise it seems clear that the ban covers Radio, TV and Cinema – nothing less and certainly nothing more.

    Now Ezzard does raise a valid question in terms of whether there is too much (non broadcast) advertising of alcohol and whether that is having an adverse impact on the community. Lets have that debate and if it is found that that is the case then (assuming -as seems reasonable – that self regulation / restraint by the advertisers won't work) propose and debate – and if successful pass and enforce – new laws.

    Until then, yelling about non enforcement of what look like non existent laws just makes you look silly!

    • Anonymous says:

      Let the legal department agree or disigree with him

      and show the law that  say he is wrong.

      Bet it will not happen  C–A—U–Seee

    • Anonymous says:

      Why do you not read the law before posting and making such left wing comments and suggestions. The law is clear ….. there is to be NO advertising of ant kind for alcohol and tobacco products.

      Apparently Mr Miller was one of the archetects of the original law back in 1986 so I think I will take his statement of what is in the law ahead of your guessing at what is in it.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Blah blah blah…booze adverts….
    Blah blah blah…. West bay road
    Blah blah blah…churches got 400k

    Just 3 of the Ezzard Miller worthless sound bites since 11th January……zzzzzzzz

  32. Just Sayin' says:

    As a gay alcoholic, I find the Caymanitepink much more disturbing.

    • Anonymous says:

      As a gay alcoholic, your view of women in sexy lingerie would be viewed as disturbing by default.

  33. Daly Dose of Truth says:

    MR Miller is this some kind of joke? I know April is not too far away, but are you serious? People will drink no matter what, kids will experiment, we as parents need to educate our kids about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and drugs, as a government we need to focus on finding ways to educate and not hide our kids from these drugs like we do everything else, I know we as Caymanians always blame the outside world on our problems, let’s face them head on. Thank you

    • Anonymous says:

      Highly enlightened one

       

      Please get the bigger picture, if the authorities are not going to uphold the law why have it there in the first place. Lets just all ignore all the laws of the land and see where our society goes. 

  34. Think Drink says:

    You mean like the 'Full Moon' Party at CJ's?  Used as an excuse to sell copious amounts of alcohol? The moon has nothing to do with it. $$$$ has a lot to do with it. Might better be called 'Puking in the Sand Party'.

  35. Anonymous says:

    get a life ezzard….. why don't you do something about the abysmal standard of parenting around here……

     

  36. Anonymous says:

    Oh, it's just a law. We have lots of them that no one pays attention to. If the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor are never worried, why should I be?

    • Anonymous says:

      like the cell phone while driving ban that is not enforced and the 15 mph school traffic zone that those who observe are verbally abused by offenders who risk childrens lives to save 5 seconds of time.

    • Anonymous says:

      These responses are frightening.  I did not realise we had so many idiots among us.  They are breaking the law with these ads and unduly trying to get people to drink.  People who might  be your children and grandchildren. Don't you idiots care about that?

      • Anonymous says:

        Relax, what are you so frightened of. Is it the fact that CIG makes a fortune in alcohol revenue andadvertising keeps local businesses afloat and people employed. Or could it be that these revenues and others keep Caymanians in the style they've become accustomed too without actually having to do anything for it?

        This is the 21st century, not some 17th century historical drama, people will continue to drink regardless of stupid outdated laws that were formulated by overweight windbags who should pay more attention to what they eat and how much of it they consume, for the very same health reasons. Remember gluttony?

        Flip flop Ezzard is grandstanding again, this time not for the rights of West Bayers but no doubt for the bible bashers and abstainers who see evil everywhere, except in their own hypocricy and double standards. So its okay to accept unregulated public money from a crooked politician but not okay to take a drink or even advertise one for legitimate and legal consumption, or for some notable politicians to take a drink at the Barn, the Edge or Kirts and drive home. It's breathtaking in its duplicity.   

        Why don't you stand up for the rights of those on your own side of the island Ezzard. How about a new road for Cayman Kai and let GT and West Bay MLA's worry about their own patch whilst you concentrate on doing the right thing for ALL the people of NorthSide/Cayman Kai for a change. Remember, there are a lot of former 'expats' that can now vote this time around and they also like a drink.