Newly sworn in Member for South Bougainville Timothy Masiu has supported the steps taken by the Bougainville Government to tax purchase of South Pacific beer in Bougainville.
He said the Bougainville Government’s decision to tax the sale of beer was well judged.
“All communities know that the true cost of South Pacific beer is more than the price of a carton.”
The true cost includes:
- Gender-based violence as drunken men hit their wives;
- Money needed for food, school fees, housing and more disappears; and
- Drivers and passengers die and are injured as drunken drivers smash their vehicles.
Masiu added that the Bougainville Government has chosen to reduce these costs and put money into restoring infrastructure and extending services to its people.
“In doing so, the Bougainville Government has reduced the profits of a Dutch-owned global organisation, with vast profits from sales in 170 countries.”
He said South Pacific Brewery, despite its huge global profits, does not want to pay duly legislated taxes.
He said its parent company, Heineken Brewery, had an income of more than K80 billion kina in 2014.
“The company lacks basic ethics and only has greed for more profits.”
Masiu is therefore calling on South Pacific Brewery, together with its distributor, to pay K2.4 million outstanding from taxes due in 2013 and 2014.