Jiwaka to ban alcohol

 THE Jiwaka provincial government has given alcohol dealers and small liquor outlets to get rid of their stock before Dec 1.

In their meeting last week, the provincial executive council said they wanted the province to be free of alcohol from Dec 1 and would implement a ban on alcohol from then.

Governor William Tongamp said the resolution was passed by the provincial executive council on Saturday in Banz.

Tongamp said the ban was good for the province and they would decide later whether to continue with it. He said K220,000 had been allocated for a special police operation to enforce the ban from Dec 1.

He said the operation was jointly funded by six local level government councils in the province, which gave K20,000 each. 

Anglimp-South Waghi MP Komun Joe Koim donated a vehicle to police and K100,000.

“After Dec 1, we don’t want to see anyone selling alcohol in the province,” he said. 

“The mobile squad from Kerowagi, Chimbu, will come in to deal with anyone selling alcohol,” he said.

Koim said only licensed hotels and guest houses would be allowed to sell alcohol to their guests.

Tongamp said there had to be a mechanism in place to control the sale of alcohol in the province.

He said they imposed the ban after seeing the people of Jiwaka abusing alcohol. 

He said even students drank alcohol like soft drinks in public places. 

Tongamp said when they had a provincial liquor licensing board in place early next year, they would decide whether to lift the ban.

“This is something for the provincial executive council to decide next year. In the meantime, we are giving alcohol dealers and outlets one month from Nov 1, to sell all the alcohol they have in stock,” he said.

Provincial police commander Supt Joseph Tondop supported the ban. He said  while in the province for two months, he saw that drugs and alcohol abuse were major problems.

He said that police would get tough on anyone selling alcohol or drinking in public after the ban.