Catholic Professionals Society of PNG
“A Light and a Voice of Catholic Faith”
04 January 2022
Media Statement
Call for Strict Regulation of the Production, Sale and Consumption of Alcohol
We support the call by the Assistant Police Commissioner and NCD and Central Commander Anthony Wagambie Jr., to regulate the production and cheap sale of high percentage alcohol in NCD and PNG.
We agree also that the manufacturers and producers have a social responsibility to the people and communities so they must abide by the laws on the production and sale of liquor or alcohol. The consumption of such products can have negative social and health impacts on the lives of people and their communities, particularly our young people many of whom are already becoming addicted to these liquor.
Mr. Wagambie’s initiative to conduct a survey within NCD to explore the social impact of alcohol on the people’s lives and their communities is commended. We suggest that the National and NCD Governments initiate an in-depth analysis on not only the social and health impact of alcohol but also the production sources of various liquor products, the production sites, the companies involved in such production, the percentage of alcohol content in such liquor and the registration status of these companies. It also needs to establish whether or not there are existing laws in place in PNG to regulate the production and sale of liquor and the standard legal limits in the varying liquor products. Mental health may become an increasing issue as a result of cheap and high alcohol content liquor that are made readily available to the public.
If the research establishes that there is absence of laws, regulations and enforcement, the Government must move to do something about it. This is an urgent call to address this increasing and serious social and health issue already affecting our people, especially underage children and young people. It is now common knowledge that much of the noisy disturbances, public nuisances, violence, killings and deaths in the homes and communities are generally the result of alcohol abuse.
The issue of alcohol abuse especially by our young population must be addressed urgently and immediately. Young people must also be educated on the impact of alcohol on their health and mental state. They must also be educated on responsible alcohol consumption and its values to their family and community lives.
God bless PNG.
Paul Harricknen, OL
President