Homebrew sale worries magistrate

By DOROTHY MARK
THE sale of homebrew is big business in Madang town, says a village court magistrate.
Bel village court magistrate Simon Deb said homebrew producers had been quietly conducting their business which their customers were aware of. “This is a secret and illegal economic activity happening right in the heart of our town and people are not speaking up,” Deb said.
He urged the government to stop the sale of yeast which is used in the production of homebrew.
He suggests that yeast should be sold only to bakeries, hotels and businesses so that it can be controlled.
Deb said the once peaceful villages in Bel, which owned the land in Madang town, were controlled by young men often under the influence of homebrew.
The Bel people own Madang town. Deb said men from his Kananam village disobeyed their elders and leaders and even attacked them.
Gama Local Level Government president Elijah Kas said homebrew production was illegal and anyone involved in it should be reported to police.
Kas said a village court magistrate was attacked by some men under the influence of homebrew two weeks ago.
The police criminal investigation department in Madang confirmed that the death of the magistrate was under investigation.