Quiet Christmas a blessing

 THE 2014 Christmas period around the country was relatively quiet. 

That is saying a lot since this is one of the few times during the year when the celebratory atmosphere is at its peak. 

Celebrations in the country’s capital and other major towns were without major incident, while the instances of car accidents and other tragic and/or violent episodes in communities, villages and the suburbs were virtually nonexistent. This is a blessing.

One has to be thankful for this because in past Christmases tragedies have taken place with0 lives being lost as a result of alcohol-fuelled brawls, traffic accidents and other circumstances. 

People’s lives, in one way or another, have been affected and in some cases irreparably damaged at a time when being kind and generous and wishing each other good cheer and happy times should be the focus.     

Christmas Day, according to NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Andy Bawa, was “very quiet”. Bawa attributed the peaceful and event-free Christmas celebrations to the alcohol ban the city was under. 

The sale of alcohol in settlements and residential areas was banned for the Christmas and New Year period however the police are looking at getting the city’s municipal authority to extend the ban into January and eventually make it permanent. 

That could be a problem for the liquor industry, which has always questioned the effectiveness of such bans. But there is no reason why there cannot be some middle ground found to offset the traders’ concerns and business, and the customers’ welfare. 

The need to impose liquor licensing restrictions is evident because the sale of beer and other alcoholic products in settlements and residents is a recipe for problems. Nobody wants to see a never-ending cycle of violence and strife in communities played out every Christmas. 

It is intolerable in a modern society, especially one that claims to be Christian in nature and deed.

According to Inspector David Terry, a staff officer for the Deputy Police Commissioner (Administration), at least 60 per cent of all cases reported in the city are the direct result of alcohol abuse. “We’ve had deaths and fights and other problems directly related to alcohol consumption in the city and banning the sale of liquor in settlements and residential areas will help people drink in a safe and sensible manner,” Terry said.

“For those who claim bans don’t work, they obviously have a stake in the industry but there is no reason why people can’t enjoy their drinks at properly licenced outlets like bars and restaurants. 

Traders and manufacturers can still make good sales through proper channels. The sale of alcohol in other areas has only brought more problems to the communities.”

Elsewhere in the country, Madang, a tourist destination, was as peaceful and quiet as it has ever been. 

Madang Provincial Police Commander Sylvester Kalaut marvelled at the lack of mischief and mayhem normally associated with the festive period in his town but was presumably pleased with the situation.

The only problem Kalaut and his men had to contend with was a couple of men in Santa Claus outfits being attacked by irate spouses. Although amusing and unfortunate, that hardly constituted pandemonium and unrest.  

Lae, a city notorious for its level of crime and ethnic clashes, surprisingly reported no such problems over the Christmas week. For all the instances of crime and general misdemeanours that took place in the Morobe capital in 2014, Christmas was devoid of any violence, crime or social disobedience of any kind. 

In other parts of the country, peace and goodwill and a general sense of calm reigned. 

That is almost unheard of in a country where the police force can barely provide protection and a sense of control for the seven million-plus population.

The peaceful end to 2014 should bode well for the New Year. 

Although, some might say there is a calm before the storm, Papua New Guineans have demonstrated that despite their failings, the people remain resilient and continue to work to build better communities, towns, provinces and a nation. The fact that the 2014 Christmas was free of any problems should be a sign that maybe the country is turning a corner for the better.