Calls for tough penalties on homebrew drinkers

 A women’s leader in the Highlands region is calling on the courts to impose severe punishment on those who drink homebrew and smoke marijuana.

Women In Politics president Dere Cecillia said from Chimbu that the consumption and smoking of illegal substances was getting out of control in Chimbu and the other six Highlands provinces.

Cecillia said law and order problems were caused by homebrew and marijuana addicts.

She said some people did not care about the laws passed by Parliament recently against drinking of homebrew and smoking of marijuana.

Cecillia said since last year elders in her Kunabau village in Kerowagi district had been enforcing a community ban on drinking of homebrew and smoking marijuana.

She said after getting no help from police in arresting those cultivating marijuana or producing homebrew, they decided to do something about it themselves.

“I am ashamed to see my Kunabau tribesmen, especially youths, standing on the road at Duglogambal market demanding money from PMV buses dropping off passengers to buy ingredients to mix their homebrew,” she said.

She said such conduct was never seen in the past.

“I want the courts to severely punish people selling or smoking marijuana and making or drinking homebrew,” she said.

Cecillia called on the Government to buy more vehicles for police and support them with logistics to enforce the law.