Guadalcanal takes steps to ban alcohol

The Guadalcanal Provincial Government is planing on banning alcohol in the province by the end of 2017.

Guadalcanal premier Anthony Veke said the decision stemmed from the recent cases of two murders earlier this year and other isolated incidents of youths causing disturbances in communities in the province, which he said was all alcohol related.

“There is so much alcohol available in our communities,” he said. “This has caused so much unwanted behavior in our communities , and I think It is time we need to control it.”

Speaking exclusively to SIBC, Premier Veke said his executive would soon endorse the plan. It would also get feedback from the attorney general’s chamber to ensure the plan did not ____ country’s national legal framework.

He said he had received reports over the past months of Guadalcanal youths causing disturbance along the highways outside Honiara.

The proposed ban will not include Honiara.

“We are aware of the people’s rights, that is why we are still on the process seeking pathways in implementing the ban without interfering  people’s rights,” he said.

“The proposed ban will also look at controlling beer advertisements along our roads, which I believe will be a good way of improving social behavior in the communities around Guadalcanal.”

Mr Veke said he understood the proposed ban would have an impact on the province’s revenue intake, but he said he believed the move was for a good cause.

“We believe in a different approach, we can’t accept getting revenue from an businesses activity that keeps on producing social problems for our people, ” he said.

He said the proposed plan would ban the selling of alcohol in the provincial area, and the liquor licensing board of the province would also hold consultations with community leaders around the province once the ban is full endorsed.

By: Lowen Sei