Betel nut bill planned to complement drugs laws

By HELEN TARAWA
LAWS on drugs and alcohol will complement the bill recently tabled in Parliament to control the use and sale of betel nuts and cigarettes in public places, an official says.
Constitutional and Law Reform Commission secretary Dr Eric Kwa told The National yesterday that they were aware of the provisions Prime Minister Peter O’Neill was pushing on betel nuts and cigarettes to be controlled and would amend the existing laws accordingly. “We are aware of it but we are also doing it in terms of our law reviews,” Kwa said.
“What PM is talking about it will be complementary to what we are doing. Once the law goes through, we will also adjust the drugs and alcohol laws to fit in so there is a synergy.”
Kwa said the commission was looking at the Informal Sector Control and Development Act and the sale of betel nuts plus the penalties that might be imposed.
“That report is already completed with the draft amendments. So with the betel nut provisions O’Neill is pushing, we will readjust (that) they will be on par with each other so there won’t be any conflict in the laws,” Kwa said.
On the hefty fine proposal, he said the city was filthy.
“The National Capital District Commission had over the years done something about it but nobody wants to listen,” he said.
“The local governments in the provinces have addressed the the betel nut issue but it doesn’t seem to work.
“This is the government’s response to addressing bad attitudes that seems to be destroying the image of this country.
“The hefty fine is because of us. We don’t seem to listen. The spot fines don’t work.
“It’s not the first time the government has tried addressing these problems. So they have to impose hefty fines.”