Alotau Hosts Meet On Alcohol-Related Violence

A consultative meeting on alcohol-related violence was held in Alotau, Milne Bay Province. The meeting was chaired by the Special Parliamentary Committee on Alcohol-Related Violence (SPCARV).

Elias Kapavore, Member for Pomio and Deputy Chairman for the SPCARV, called for a collective effort in quelling issues surrounding alcohol-related violence.

The sub-committee led by the Deputy Chairman initiated consultations with the Milne Bay Provincial Government and the Provincial Liquor Licensing Unit, the police, Correctional Services, Provincial Health Authority, schools, community leaders and church representatives.

He said, “The purpose of this committee is to assist parliament to inquire into the production, sale and consumption of alcohol in the country, with particular interests on drinks with high alcohol content.”

Kapavore said Alcohol is one of the contributing factors to many social problems in our communities. The committee posed a series of questions to stakeholders in that they would give their responses openly and honestly while considering the following areas;

  • The effectiveness on policies that are focused on addressing alcohol consumption;
  • The sale and consumption of cheap alcohol drinks;
  • The legislations governing the production of cheap drinks with high alcohol content;
  • Education campaigns and their role in cultivating effective social change in terms of community attitudes to alcohol consumption;
  • The role of parents in influencing the attitudes of young Papua New Guineans towards alcohol consumption and
  • the economic cost of alcohol-related violence.

He added that alcohol-related violence is also closely related to substance abuse and the committee would look to making recommendations in the next parliamentary session to make it inclusive and address both issues simultaneously.

“We will have to make some legal amendments for the Liquor Licensing Act of 1963 so that this committee will address the manufacturing and production of alcohol and its contents. We also recommend making changes so that substance abuse is addressed.”

He said the committee would record all findings and make recommendations based on these findings.

“I would like to see that reports and statistics are collected and forwarded to the committee as soon as possible from the CS, Police, Provincial Health Authorities, and schools and community leaders.”

 

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