Police crack down on homebrew production

 By JENNIFER NKUI

POLICE in Buin, in South Bougainville are cracking down on the production and drinking of homebrew in the town, an officer says.

Const Noel Nkui said they began operations last weekend to stop homebrew drinking in town and public places.

“Ex-combatants usually carry out the operations but due to criticisms from the public, the police had to carry out the operations,” he said. 

“Roadblocks were set up to monitor vehicles and people and prevent the entry of homebrew into the town. 

“Six men were arrested last weekend – four for consuming homebrew in public, and two (believed to have been intoxicated) for wounding bystanders.”

He said police in Buin were working hard to ensure there was law and order in the communities and were succeeding.

However, Nkui said police officers lacked transport and housing.

“There are no proper housing facilities for police officers and their families as most of the houses are rundown and in great need of maintenance,” Nkui said. 

“The Bougainville government is not addressing our housing problems. 

“Lack of transport has made it impossible for us to attend quickly to crime scenes and other duties. 

“We do not have a car. For police patrols and runs, Willie Tovere, the regional police commander for South Bougainville, who is based in Buin, always lends us his private car to use. 

“Our requests to the Autonomous Bougainville Government for police vehicles have fallen on deaf ears. 

“We have tried our best to promote law and order and we need police vehicles to help us attend quickly and easily to our areas of priority.”