The governor of Papua New Guinea's capital, Port Moresby, says a liquor ban is only a short-term solution, and more needs to be done to address what he says is a problem with alcohol in the city.
New regulations introduced last Friday mean alcohol can only be sold in venues such as bars, taverns, hotels and restaurants.
But Powes Parkop says while the ban is proving effective, its effects won't last forever and more needs to be done to solve chronic lawlessness in the city that he says is often caused by alcohol.
"We have to educate our people so that their consumption is responsible and not abuse, and that's not going to happen overnight. It's probably something we should have done a long time ago but with all the different challenges we face in our city, we probably neglected this area for a while, but recent events demand that we must take on this particular challenge."
Powes Parkop says without these long-term measures, people will resort to bootlegging liquor from other provinces.
Powes Parkop Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
