Alcohol to be added to NCDC regulatory list

Caption: Governor Parkop

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 5, 2014 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

NCD Governor Powes Parkop revealed, during a conference held last week on New Year’s Eve, on plans by the commission to seriously consider the regulation of alcohol in the Nation’s Capital.

This follows the positive developments in what seemed to many an impossible task to ban betel-nut and with plans in 2014 to tackle plastic littering in the city with a plastic buy-out to take place early in the year.

“Now we are dealing with betel-nut one of our major menace and hazardous activity in our city and as you know we are equally concerned about plastic,” Parkop said.

“In the new year we will be implementing the scheme to buy plastics we will find a means to pass liability to manufacturers and traders.”

“After betel-nut and plastic- I have to target alcohol as well.”

The governor highlighted alcohol as a big problem in the city with violence, ethnic conflict, and other nuisances all created in one way or the other alcohol related.

He pointed out one of the key problems being illegal sales- saying that there were a lot of illegal traders in our city.

“Licences are only to be issued to fixed residences with section and lot number.”

“Settlement and village bottle shops have been established illegally thus creating many alcohol related problems in those areas.”

He said that considering was also being given to a scenario where licences may be given to individuals- meaning that there will be licences to trade and licences to drink as well.

“Just like when driving, you need a licence to do so because it is a dangerous activity.”

“If you are to drink alcohol it is also a dangerous activity.”

“A licence that one can be produced to sellers at retail outlets or bartenders in clubs before purchasing, which can be recorded so we keep track of the.

“When people drink it they become superman and Rambos and it is a liability to our community, entire city, and country.”

Governor Parkop attributed most of the damage to public properties along public roads and facilities to intoxicated drivers- saying that for a single light post along major roads in the city it costs taxpayers K16,000 for one to be put up.