SHCCI says liquor ban not working

THE Southern Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Industry is calling on the provincial executive council to lift alcohol ban in the province.
President Berry Mini said the law used to impose the ban in 2009 was not working.
Mini said this was shown in cases where confiscated alcohol stocks at checkpoints were repossessed by owners after going to court.
He said there were loopholes in the 2008 Amended Liquor Act, which was not very strong to successfully prosecute people smuggling alcohol into the province.
He said alcohol continued to be traded publicly in Mendi town and beside the road and even in the districts by black marketers.
“The alcohol ban was politically motivated rather than in the best interest of the province.
“The decision was rushed through and as a result there are loopholes in the Liquor Act that could leave provincial government with a huge liability.”
Mini said the concerned authorities had not effectively enforced the ban, resulting in large quantities of alcohol entering the province.