2 days Ago By Mal Taime
THE Jiwaka Provincial Liquor Board has imposed a hefty K5000 fine or five months imprisonment for anyone who produces homebrew and sells it. Jiwaka Provincial Administrator and Provincial Liquor Licensing Board chairman Rick Kogen said this after the liquor licensing board was officially sworn in last Thursday. The new board was sworn in by Senior Provincial Magistrate Douglas Siminji in Minj.
Mr Kogen said the Liquor Act was endorsed last July, but they had to wait for the board to be sworn in. He said after the board swearing in, they held a meeting and immediately put a ban on the sale of illegal alcohol throughout Jiwaka. This came into effect last Saturday.
Mr Kogen said after independence, an awareness on the new law will be carried out. He said the board is working with police, the PNG Defence Force and the provincial administration to carry out awareness starting from Kumbal to Panga at the border of Western Highlands Province. Mr Kogen said Jimi is a remote area and they intend to do awareness at Karap.
The awareness aims to cover Kudjip, Minj, Banz, Nondugl, Kimil and Kindeng. He said after the awareness, a complete ban will come into effect and inspections on all the tucker shops will be carried out. Mr Kogen said only guesthouses, lodges and resorts that have proper licenses will be allowed to sell alcohol.
He said the uncontrolled sale of alcohol in Jiwaka has led to many problems and the distributors must be monitored closely. He said small bottle shops and tucker shops along the roadside will be checked for any illegal sales. He said that after inspections, all liquor licenses will be suspended and only those genuine retailers will be allowed to apply for a new license as per their new Act of the Province.
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