Transcript
ALFRED MAOH: We have got very, very easy access and very cheap alcohol in Vanuatu and in the community it is normal practice for the accessing of alcohol, cigarettes and kava within the outlets, particularly in Port Vila. When you look at the crime rates being committed, theft or rape, incest or what do you call them, the root cause of it is having access to alcohol. The Council of Ministers, we have agreed the policy to amend the Liquor Licensing Act, for the minister to declare the use of ID cards. Those ID cards, it is a national identity. People are querying, how come we are moving on to one national ID or something of the sort? Basically here in Vanuatu, under the Civil Registry where you have been given a birth certificate, you have a number in the right hand corner of your certificate and that is your identification number.
KORO VAKA'UTA: The introduction of these ID cards, how will they stop crime?
AM: Actually it doesn't stop crime but we need to find ways to reduce the access of alcohol. The underage drinking it is a big issue here. We are pursuing the ID cards. There will be a provision added in Parliament but on a temporary basis I will do the regulation of the ID cards and that's the identification, basically like the passport or even you have a driving licence. That is on a temporary basis pending the November sitting and then we will have a provision that will be added under the Liquor Licensing Act and then thereafter we can encourage or give directions for people to come forward and have their national ID cards issued.
KV: So a lot of the crime, has it been triggered by underage drinkers?
AM: Exactly. Not only the crimes. We have the results in schools and we have the behaviour in the house, it has been changed dramatically and the parents are pointing fingers everywhere and government and everybody has been pointing fingers at each other. Basically I thought, well, maybe put some measures in place. One example is, after schools on Friday they put their uniforms away and their school bags and access the night-clubs. We will also be using temporary IDs accessing the night-clubs, the bars for drinking and any purchase of cigarettes as well.
KV: This is going to be a big operation yes, to issue all these national IDs?
AM: That will be a big task for us to do. After the Parliament has legislated and been gazetted then that is legal and then from the perspective of the minister and under jurisdictions I will have to source core funding and maybe with other donors to come in and assist us with establishment. An ID would cost probably 10 dollars or 15 dollars but that is an establishment cost and we will encourage people to come forward. When you misplace your ID or even have the expiry date up for renewal then you will pay the normal and standard price which we will regulate later.
