Liquor board reveals flaws

By PISAI GUMAR
MOROBE liquor licensing laws have loopholes that retailers are using, provincial liquor board chairman Bob Singoling says.
He said a legal officer was working on amendments that would be submitted to the provincial executive council for endorsement.
Although liquor brings in more than K600,000 for the state’s coffers, the board had received little support on policy guidelines and the logistics to implement mechanisms of control, Singoling said.
“The loopholes have, over the years, allowed after hours black-market by licenced and unlicenced operators to flourish,” he said.
“Some measures will see licenced liquor traders now have identification card with their picture and containing all necessary information similar to that of driving licences,” he said.  
“Procedures to own a liquor licence will begin with councillors and church pastors at the ward level to LLG presidents and managers to provide an authorisation letter stamped with LLG common seal that will verify as a person qualifying to have a liquor licence,” Singoling said.
“The measures were taken to verify if liquor is one factor causing public nuisance in public places or other related factors.
“If it is a general law and order crisis, then the government has to improve required policing and to strengthen weak areas.”