Chimbu tribe declares war on homebrew

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Monday 09th January 2012

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
THE Waugla Muguaku tribe in Chimbu’s Kerowagi district has declared war on homebrew.
Last Saturday, the Kamakane and Pingakane clansmen surrendered seven gas cylinder bottles used for producing homebrew together with copper pipes and other containers to correctional officers at Barawaghi jail.
This was a second homebrew-related surrender programme initiated by the Waugla tribe.
The Baimanekane clansmen, also part of the Waugla tribe were the first to pass a New Year’s resolution to completely ban the sales, production and consumption of homebrew within their area starting from Teine creek to Kaukau market just along the Highlands Highway.
Kunabau village court chairman Bonguro Per, who has been encouraging his people to turn away from their bad habits, commended those who surrendered the gas cylinders they had been using.
Per told the people during a surrender ceremony held at Dimbinyando village on Saturday that people producing homebrew were only interested in making money and ignored the damage done to the people consuming it.
He said many youths felt weak to cultivate their land after becoming addicted to homebrew.
The ban in place should help his people save money, help the youths to cultivate the land and maintain order in the community.
The ban would be imposed for five years and any one seen producing homebrew within the tribe would be handed to the police with their gas cylinders.
He thanked correctional officers from the Barawaghi Correctional Institution led by Sgt Maima Kawage, Francis Apa and other officers, for carrying out an awareness about the bad effects of homebrew and tried their best to stop it, starting from Jiwaka border to Nend, bordering Kerowagi and Kundiawa-Gembogl district.
His people needed support from the government and authorities in terms of projects to generate income and start a new life.
Kawage said it was not their duty to carry out functions of the police force.