Carib Brewery supports Carnival glass bottle ban

CARIB Brewery – a major provider of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks in TT and the region – says it supports the ban on glass bottles on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

The Carnival (Prohibition of Glass Bottles) Regulations 2023, says, “No person, other than an authorised person, shall have a glass bottle with him, in or within the vicinity of, a Carnival event in any public place during the period of Carnival.

“No person, other than an authorised person, shall serve or consume a beverage from a glass bottle, in or within the vicinity of, a Carnival event in any public place during the period of Carnival.”

The regulations will take effect from 4 am on February 20 and expire at midnight on February 21.

It added that a person who contravenes these commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to a fine of $1,000 and imprisonment for six months.

The regulations said police can, without proceeding to arrest a person found to be breach of the regulation, seize and take away any glass bottle which that person has on them.

This is not the first time this ban has been implemented. It was also implemented in 2020, the last physical Carnival held in TT before the pandemic.

The discussion about banning glass bottles at Carnival also began with former Port of Spain mayor Louis Lee Sing.

Carib Brewery’s General Counsel and Head of External Affairs, Sean Griffith said, “Carib Brewery has always supported the ban on glass bottles at Carnival events, on the Monday and Tuesday, in particular, since the regulations were first introduced.

“And we continue to be supportive of this measure in 2023.”

He said the brewery fully understands Government’s aim which is to ensure that glass bottles do not pose a threat to masqueraders or anyone else during the celebrations.

Asked if it was even more important given the crime situation in the country today, Griffith said yes and it understands glass bottles potentially present a threat.

On the brewery’s end it will continue to work with all of the customers in the trade to ensure compliance with the law and measures in effect.

He said all participants in Carnival will have access to beverages from the Carib Brewery portfolio.

The Carnival Regulations 2023 were also published with regulations which state that people “cannot portray, represent or appear wearing any costume which portrays or represents, in any manner, any deity of a living religion or portray any event in a manner likely to bring into disrepute, ridicule or contempt any religion practised in TT.”

People also cannot throw any substance, matter of thing likely to cause damage, injury or discomfort; smear or daub on any other person any substance, matter of thing, or with intent to intimidate or to obtain from that other person any money or valuable thing.

It also states, that people cannot, “sing or recite any lewd or offensive song and or indulge in behaviour or gestures which are immoral, lewd or offensive.”