Regions call for five year alcohol ban

A NUMBER of regions have proposed that government impose a five year ban on alcohol sale in Namibia in order to curb the abuse of liquor in the country.

The call came from some communities who were visited by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social and Community Development, which was tasked to review the Liquor Act by consulting communities in the 13 regions.

Maureen Jankowski, the chairperson of the committee, yesterday told The Namibian that there were some regions who made the call, adding that the complaints were among the many that they received during their visits in the regions. One of such region is Otjozondjupa.

The recommendation comes a year after The Namibian reported that “Namibia is becoming a nation of drunks” based on research that was done in one Windhoek township.

The committee will reveal their full recommendations to parliament later this year.

Jankowski said some other major complaints ranged from opening hours of shebeens to locations of the drinking places and added that many people felt the Alcohol Act should be reviewed in order to fight the easy access to alcohol.

Some community members also urged a form of permit to be introduced and to make it compulsory to use the document when purchasing alcohol.

Calls for more recreational centres were also among the recommendations by the communities as they felt most young people turn to going to shebeens as a way of enjoying themselves.

According to Jankowski, home brewed liquor also featured in the complaints as people suggested that there should be strict mechanisms in place to control the production and sale of traditional alcohol.

An example of a home-brewed beer is tombo, a traditionally made beer from a mixture of water, wheat grain and sugar.

According to reports from the past, forensic analysis of samples of tombo found that the drink is so toxic it can have devastating health effects if consumed regularly. The research was done by the National Forensic Science Institute.

Concerns of parents’ abuse of alcohol were also raised as some pointed at possible negligence of kids as a consequence of excessive drinking.

Swapo member of parliament Agnes Tjongarero was one of the politicians who formed part of the committee. She also confirmed the request to ban alcohol.

Tjongarero said they are in the process of compiling the report and are also planning to visit a country, which had a similar alcohol problem “in order to learn how they dealt with the problem”.

On top of other concerns raised by the chairperson of the committee, Tjongarero said another problem raised was that of old age people using their pension to buy alcohol.

She said most of them end up being in debt to an extent that, come end of the month, the entire pension is collected by the shebeen owner to pay the outstanding amount. “Some pensioners even end up not affording to buy a blanket,” she added and pointed out that many people have recommended that the Alcohol Act be reviewed.

The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation reported in May this year that communities claimed shebeen licenses were issued uncontrollably.

To an extent that shebeens were now more than the population ratio at some places, while access to alcohol was easy, even for minors.

The motion on alcohol abuse in Namibia was tabled in the National Assembly in February 2012 and was referred to committee further consultations.