Stettlers hand in brewing implements grudgingly given grudgingly

By JAMES GUMUNO
THE production and consumption of homebrew in Mt Hagen city, Western highlands will only be stopped when concerned authorities provide basic services to settlements, people involved in it have said. During a recent gathering, residents of settlements like Council Camp, Tiri Camp, Bata Compound, Red Ground and Tarangau blamed lack of government services which made them resort to the illegal homebrew business to sustain their living.
The production of homebrew first started at Council Camp in 1990.
Homebrew production is illegal and carries a maximum penalty not exceeding two years in jail if one is found guilty by a court.
Even though it was illegal, about 1,000 people living in different settlements within the city depend on the production and sale of homebrew to survive and even send their children to school.
Many of these settlers are third or fourth generations of settlers who came to Mt Hagen during the colonial period to work and develop the town to what it is today but successive governments have paid little attention to their existence in the city and their need for services just like any other suburb.
It is during the national elections that leaders get to know about different ethnic groups living in settlements and how many live there.
After the elections, settlers are forgotten and how they survive and fend for themselves in the city without basic governments’ services is entirely up to the settlers.
The current fight against homebrew production in the city initiated by Chief Inspector Tim Korada and supported Mt Hagen police station commander Senior Inspector John Maguna faced some resistance from the settlers despite some settlers from Council Camp surrendering their homebrew production tools to the police.
During the surrender ceremony held two weeks ago at Council Camp, the settlers from Tiri Camp and Council Camp were to have handed in their brewing kits but only the Council Camp did.
Parents engaging in homebrew production openly told Korada and Maguna that the surrender of homebrew making tools to the police was like they surrendering their lives to the Government. They wanted to know what the Government would do to help them live in the city.
They said that over the years, there has been hardly any service in their settlements and the Government did not help them to engage in income-generating activities to sustain their living in an honest way.
They said that because of no government assistance, they turned to illegal activities like producing homebrew to earn a living in the city.
Carolyn Stone from Baiyer district who also produced homebrew, said they surrendered because they wanted to change to live a good life.
“We want our leaders in the province to help and show us different ethnic groups living in the settlement how to make money and earn our living.”
She said that she had five children who were all in school and she could not give up homebrew and let her children suffer. Some other settlers involved in illegal brewing also had similar concerns.
Stone asked the Mt Hagen rural local level government to allow the settlers to use its temporary market as a car wash area for settlers to generate incomes, create a proper market for them to sell items or help them form an association with a little seed capital for them to start micro enterprises.
Stone said if there was no assistance from government, the concerned communities could easily revert to their old ways to make a living.
A father of 16 children from three wives also expressed the same sentiments
Pang Samyano from Tambul district, said they cooperated with police to give up bad habits and start a new life.
He said that people from different parts of the country lived at Council Camp and many were involved in the homebrew production.
“We are willing to change and need government’s intervention,” he said.
He said that they knew what they did was illegal but it was an easy way of making quick money in the city.
He said that they gave up their bad habits with a high expectation that sooner or later, the Government would intervene and assist them.
Settlement leader McSteven Polly also agreed adding that he convinced his people to give up their bad habits and live a good life.
He said that the Government must show them some ways for the people to engage in and earn their living.
Inspector Maguna told the settlers to look for other ways and means to earn their living.
He urged them to change physically and spiritually by going to church and follow the teachings of Christ.
He said the surrender of their brewing tools was the beginning of new life and commended the settlers.
While Mt Hagen city police are reaching out to settlements it remains to be seen whether others would cooperate and do like settlers from Council Camp did.
There was no representation from the office of the governor or the local MP during the presentation ceremony.
It was a great initiative taken by the police and a step in the right direction but if there is no cooperation and collaboration by the other concern authorities in the city, its success would look doubtful.