Locals cry foul over liquor ban in province

By MATTHEW VARI

Wednesday, January 7, 2015 (Midweek Chronicle, PNG)

SMALL liquor traders in the central province, along the Magi Highway, have cried foul over the liquor ban imposed over the festive season the past two years.

They have raised their concerns regarding the unfair treatment they have received from the provincial government and enforcement agencies- stating that they were being prevented from selling while hotels, resorts, guest houses, and clubs and other establishments were allowed to sell even to customers taking liquor away.

A business owners and representative from a group of sellers from various villages, who wished not to be named, said that they understood the intensions behind the ban; however, added that the benefits of it were yet to be tested as not all sellers were being brought under the ban.

“We also saw during the festive period some of the bad practices taking place of patrons taking away liquor, by the said business houses- the very practice the liquor ban stood against,” the representative said.

“The small traders are questioning the interpretation as this would only mean that only the mentioned establishments will benefit by selling their liquor throughout the period.”

He raised issues of the province struggling with creation of business activities, adding that the ban should have only been specified for the main festive dates like Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day, rather than all the dates in between on normal weekdays.

“As concerned SME owners, we are petitioning the Central Provincial government to relook at the liquor ban rules and clearly specify who they are really targeting so that we all can have fair treatment come 2015’s festive season.”