Liquor ban ineffective: Joyce

THE liquor ban imposed in Madang will encourage consumption of homebrew, says South Pacific Brewery managing director Stan Joyce, pictured.
“Liquor bans encourage the (consumption) of homebrew which causes harmful effects on the body and promotes the smuggling of illegal imports through the border,” he said.
Madang Governor Peter Yama and the provincial executive council approved the ban last month in the hope it would reduce the crime rate in the province.
“Liquor ban enforcement starves police of necessary resources and deprives the majority of law-abiding adults of enjoying a cold beer,” Joyce said.
He said such bans always turned out to be ineffective.
“It is disappointing to note that despite all the evidence to the contrary, the provincial government went ahead with this decision,” he said.