Under-age drinking

A number of letters and opinion pieces in the press have advocated making it a criminal offence for teenagers younger than 16, or even 18, to drink alcoholic beverages.

I object to the very idea of criminalising our teenage children as a sop to public opinion because we couldn't be bothered to enforce the current ban on serving alcohol to minors.

Bars and discos at night spots like Paceville make hay from the raw youngsters out to impress their friends with their drinking prowess, egging them on with happy hours and two-for-the-price-of-one offers. The statistics for the number of accusations and convictions are pathetic.

British police have used sting operations with much success. A suspected pub is put under police surveillance and an obviously under-age teenager is sent in to buy a drink. If he is served, the police institute proceedings against the pub licensee.

I am not aware of any similar action in Paceville. The perception of policing policy in Malta's premier night-spot is that the boat must not be rocked. Visible enforcement of the current legislation on serving to minors would improve that perception.

On the other hand, court procedures are Byzantine and never-ending, with the possibility of a minuscule fine at the end of it all. This surely generates a why-bother attitude among some of our boys-in-blue. The legislation that we need is stiffer fines for existing offences and summary treatment of these cases, perhaps in a local magistrate's court. Last but not least, enforcement, enforcement, enforcement.