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BCCEC head calls for public education over govt’s renewed enforcement of restrictions on liquor licences

Published by EARYEL BOWLEG, May 16, 2025


THE Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) has called for a robust public education campaign following renewed enforcement of a long-standing policy restricting the approval of liquor licences within 700 feet of schools, churches, or other licensed liquor establishments.


Leo Rolle, CEO of the BCCEC, said the chamber would have welcomed proactive communication before the Department of Physical Planning began enforcing the policy.


“What we’re saying is that we would have liked to see some education and public awareness campaign around it, because if you’re now going to enforce it, you first appraise people of what it says or what’s there in law, and then say, we haven’t been enforcing it as best we should have and now we intend to enforce it,” he said.


The department issued a public notice via social media on Wednesday, stating that no commercial land use applications for liquor licences would be approved within the specified distance of protected sites.


Town Planning Committee chairman Keenan Johnson told The Tribune that the policy is not new, but it had not been consistently applied due to limited public awareness. He said the notice is part of enhancing transparency, accountability, and public understanding. “


There may be a myriad of reasons, but lack of accountability and transparency doesn’t help, and this public awareness is a starting point to assist with that,” Mr Johnson said.


He explained the committee hopes this communication will also deter people from trying to circumvent the proper licensing process.


While the Chamber supports the intent behind the proximity restrictions, Mr. Rolle raised concerns about the impact on business competition when multiple liquor stores are in close proximity. The BCCEC argued that competitive concerns, such as whether multiple similar businesses can coexist within a commercial plaza, should be left to the discretion of landlords and tenants.


“If I’m going into a plaza, for instance, and I know that I’m selling something that has a monopoly in that plaza at the moment, as the tenant, I should negotiate that the landlord what should not be allowed to rent to another person who’s in the same industry,” he said.


“Some liquor stores may not want that to be the case, because some stores may sell brands that are different. So you’re coming to this location for this, but you’re coming to mine for that. If there’s a store that wants a non-competing clause, it should be left to the tenant and the landlord to negotiate. That’s not the realm of the government to decide.”


Mr Johnson acknowledged that the issue of business density presents a challenge in enforcing the policy. He said the department’s objective is to find a balance between supporting legitimate business operations and protecting community interests.




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