PNG needs alcohol policy, says Unage

By SALLY TIWARI
PAPUA New Guinea needs a national alcohol policy if it wants to effectively address abuse issues in the country, the author of a new report says.
That is one of 10 recommendations outlined in the report entitled “Addressing alcohol abuse in Papua New Guinea” that was launched yesterday at the National Research Institute.
Report author Dr Michael Unage said laws and regulations governing the sale of alcohol in the country were obsolete and needed reviewing.
Unage, a senior researcher with NRI, said a policy on the production, distribution and consumption of alcohol was non-existent.
He said a policy design was imperative to deal with strategies to combat alcohol abuse.
“The focus areas of the policies can include taxing, pricing, competition, review of alcohol laws, awareness and education and upgrading of technology standards such as use of breathalysers and radar guns,” he said.
Other recommendations raised in the paper include reviewing and effective enforcement of the Liquor License Act of 1963, increased public private partnership approach and maintenance of information database and research.
The paper outlined cultural diversity, cultural crossroads meaning influence and transformation of one culture to another due to globalisation, and lack of technology as some challenges when addressing alcohol abuse.
The issues paper was compiled by Unage from his observations throughout the nation and the three regional symposiums on private public partnership in addressing alcohol abuse in PNG.
Unage said the paper was brief but set the pace for a more a detailed research discussion paper to be produced when called for.
Chairman of the alcohol working committee and secretariat of the Law Justice Sector Joe Kanekane said despite the alcohol ban policies in place, people had become smarter in smuggling alcohol or producing illegal alcohol such as homebrew.
Kanekane said any national alcohol policy must be created in a way that satisfied everyone’s interests.