Morobe eyeing K3mil in liquor fees

By PISAI GUMAR
The Morobe Liquor Licensing office is trying to raise K3 million this year after earning K2.5 million licensing fees last year.
It hopes to collect more fees.
Licensing officer Nathaniel Mark said that the fees were one of the vital revenue sources, similar to the provincial Land Transport and Traffic units, for the province.
They can generate more in revenue if properly resourced to enforce relevant government regulations, he said.
According to the 2018 revenue budget paper, Land Transport generated K7.9 million, goods and services tax was K95,318,900 and liquor K2.5 million.
Mark said the names of the licence holders who should renew their licences but refused to do so would be sent to police station commanders in the districts at the end of the month.
“They defied to renew licences soon after Dec 31 and until March 30 so they will come and pay 10 per cent additional on top of the usual licence,” Mark said.
Mark warned those with store licences to refrain from selling liquor, especially backdoor-dealing during the Easter weekend.
He said they could be fined K1000 and jailed for six months.