Kelera Ditaiki 
[File Photo]
Some kava bar owners say the government’s sudden directive to close at 1 am is hitting them hard.
Owner of Mauri Kava Bar in Valelevu, Nasinu, Keti Baleinacagi, says closing during peak hours is taking away their income.
Baleinacagi says her family relies on the business, and it is also a lifeline for their suppliers.
“The cars come and they ask, ‘Are you people open?’. When we say no, and they turn away, we are losing out on income because that’s when (1 am) people come around.”
Another kava bar owner, Jacinda Wela, of Vai’aku Bar in Raiwaqa, Suva, says the pressure is mounting to keep her business afloat.
She adds that kava bars already operate on thin margins, selling a basin for just $5 to $10, and each one can take more than 30 minutes to finish.
“All of a sudden, we are just told to close, so where are we going to get the rest of the cash from? The rent is already high, and we have to catch up on the increase in VAT.”
In Nadi, the owner of Sassy Kava Bar says there was no prior consultation done.
She says that if they had been consulted earlier, they could have looked into alternatives or at least had their concerns heard.
Some of these bars say they hold 24-hour licenses but are closing early only because of the government’s directive.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Manoa Kamikamica says the decision aligns kava bars with nightclub hours.
The Prime Minister had also stated that the closing of kava bars allows for more family time and will also improve the workplace productivity of Fijians for the next working day.
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