Madang MP Kramer Calls for review on Madang 4 year Liquor ban

Madang MP Bryan Kramer wants the  4 year ban on liquor in Madang Province to be reviewed.  He stated  via social media that as a Member of the Madang Open and given the ramifications of imposing 4 year liquor ban in the province, he should have been consulted on such issues.   On 21st December 2018, four days before Christmas, Governor of Madang Peter Yama announced that the Madang Provincial Executive passed a resolution to impose a four year liquor ban in the Province from 25th December 2018 until 2022.

The decision included cancelling all liquor licences and banning all liquor outlets from selling alcohol.

It was reported the Governor saying the reason behind the decision was to address widespread social problems associated with alcohol consumption.

According to Kramer, Provincial Executive Council is made up of 9 Local Level Government Presidents, appointed by the Governor, who chairs the PEC. The committee is the executive arm of the Provincial Assembly and are made up of 19 LLG Presidents from the Province including Open Members of Parliament who are not Ministers.

"I have spent 20 years of my life being involved with community in both Urban, semi-urban and rural communities tackling social issues, including time as Police Reservists, so I can confirm that Liquor Bans achieve nothing but give rise to greater social problems.

90% of the cases involving alcohol problems in Madang relate to home brew. So imposing liquor ban on commercial outlets only gives rise to black market liquor sales and increase in production and consumption of home brew.

The effect of which results in working class citizens ending up associating with those running illegal liquor operations and petty criminals selling home brew as a means to access alcohol.

If Governor is serious about addressing social problems then the best approach would be to provide sufficient funding to improving Policing in the Province.

Governor is reported saying Provincial Government makes K1.2 million a year in tax from SP Brewery but the amount of social issues affecting the whole of Madang was immense and outweighed the revenue earned.

It's my view K1.2 million could be best spent on better equipping Police operations in Madang as well as Police Housing rather than forgo the revenue to the benefit of those who own hotels and bars.

I intend to take the issue up with the Governor as well as the Members of PEC to reconsider their decision. If no response is forth coming I will then raise it on the floor of Assembly, or as a last resort take it to Court". he said.