Bahrain MPs vote to ban alcohol sales

Manama, May 6, 2009

Bahrain MPs voted for a blanket ban on public sales of alcohol at Bahrain's hotels, restaurants, clubs and off-licences.

But they agreed to allow consumption in private homes, with suppliers providing home delivery.

Hotel guests would be allowed alcohol only in their rooms under the proposal, backed unanimously at parliament's weekly session.

MPs had already voted earlier to ban alcohol sales at Bahrain International Airport, including in the duty free shops and on Gulf Air flights.

The proposal must now go to the Cabinet, which has the power to reject it.

The nationwide ban was proposed by parliament legislative and legal affairs committee vice-chairman Shaikh Jassim Al Saeedi, who said alcohol was fuelling the vice trade and turning the country into a brothel.

'It is the main reason behind unclean tourism and the consequences the country is facing from increased crime,' he said.

Parliament financial and economic affairs committee vice-chairman and Al Asala MP Abdulhaleem Murad backed him.

'We don't want this unclean money, even if the government claims that it is benefiting the economy,' he said.

Parliament foreign affairs, defence and national security committee chairman and Al Asala MP Shaikh Adel Al Mo'awada said people wanted alcohol stopped.

'We will accept failure in the economy if alcohol is banned, since we have taken the decision. The call is ours and we will handle the consequences,' he said.-TradeArabia News Service

Tags: Ban | alcohol |