Liquor Licence Holders in Port Moresby told to renew licenses
Its call comes after their validity to trade liquor expired on December 31, 2018.
Manager Visko Alu said the division’s main task now is to ensure the renewals are done in the first quarter of 2019.
“Renewals are now underway. All operators in NCD are required by law to apply now or they receive warning notices. Their liquor products will be confiscated upon failure on their part to comply with it,” said Mr Alu.
He added that monetary fines would also be imposed on them and their failure to comply with these notices would further result in suspension of licences by the liquor licencing committee at the City Hall.
“If operators are still operating under the old licence of 2018 then they have already violated the by-laws and regulations set out by the committee. We have already informed the public about this,” said Alu.
Meanwhile, Alu said that the liquor licencing officers have identified liquor outlets through their checks and balances on whether to have their old licences revoked over the month of January, 2019.
“We are now into our second month and are continuing to identify and revoke expired licences. By the end of this month, we expect all liquor outlets to cease selling their products and resume it once they have renewed the licenses,” he said.
Alu maintained that the commission is the sole issuer of licences in the city and those licences issued by others are deemed illegal.
He warned operators that harsh penalties would be imposed on those which have bypassed the commission.
According to him, he is planning to conduct a workshop for all cabaret permit licence holders.
“This workshop will be focussed on educating and increasing awareness on the operational hours. Normally, nightclubs like Lamana, Armani, Illusions and the Cosmopolitan and others, which operate as far as 4am, will be invited to attend this workshop,” said Alu.
Post a Comment