A new policy has been passed by the New Ireland Provincial Executive Council to liberalise the sale of beer in the province without restriction.
Under this policy, beer may be sold by any trade store in any location as long as they register with the Liquor Board.
It may sound strange, but the policy to allow beer to be sold without restriction is to improve law and order.
According to research, when alcohol sales are banned, especially on holidays, drunken behaviour and crimes increase.
A trial to allow the sale of alcohol on certain holidays over the past 5 years has shown drunken altercations and crime declined.
“In talking to people it is clear that when no alcohol – especially beer – is available for legal purchase people buy large amounts of homebrew,” New Ireland Province Governor Sir Julius Chan reasoned out.
“So, crazy as it seems, banning the sale of beer actually increases drink-related violence and crime.”
The laws within the policy will allow only beverages with 4.5 percent alcohol or less to be sold while beverages over 40 percent alcohol will not be sold.
The announcement of this policy has been met with mixed emotions; some New Irelanders have accepted it whilst others have raised concerns as to how it will be regulated.
(Disciplined forces in New Ireland – Filepic)