We Lounge in Maho.
MAHO--We Lounge bar and restaurant will feel the heat for opening its establishment beyond the decreed 11:00pm closing time over the weekend.
The establishment will receive a hefty fine and will be closed for a week, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA Omar Ottley told reporters on Wednesday.
The opening of the lounge after the mandatory closing time was discovered after a brawl broke out at the location around 1:50am Sunday during a private party. During the brawl, a guest was hit on the head with a bottle and the police were called and subsequently arrived on the scene.
When asked Wednesday whether the establishment would be penalised for the violation, Ottley said after inspectors visit an establishment, there is a process where a verbal warning is first issued, followed by a written warning, followed by a fine and jail time. “That’s the process,” the minister explained. “Apparently with We Lounge, there were a couple of violations before so they were given warnings and there were violations before, but the Police Department has informed me that they made the ‘PV’ [verbal warning ‘process verbaal’ – Ed.] and sent it to the Prosecutor’s Office. So, We Lounge will be fined. This is an update by [the St. Maarten Police Force – Ed.] KPSM.
“They will be fined and because of the extreme violation of police being locked out and a violent act taking place, it was also an endangerment, fire hazard, and the Ministry of TEATT [Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication] will also close We Lounge for the upcoming week. I understand they won’t be allowed to open for the entire week. That will go along with the fine. Justice is issuing the fine and TEATT will be closing the business for the week.”
Ottley said while he does not have an idea what the fine will be, he understood that authorities are leaning towards the maximum amount that can be meted out, which he said is in the range of NAf. 3,000 to NAf. 5,000.
