Emergency meeting called today

01 March 2016, 12:00AM

The Liquor Board’s blanket ban on the sale of alcohol during the General Elections will be the subject of an emergency meeting between the parties involved today.

The special meeting will be held at Hotel Elisa at 12pm.

The Liquor Board Representatives, the C.E.O for the Ministry of Revenue, Avalisa Viali Fautuaalii and the Secretary for the Liquor Board, Solia Tanuvasa Kalolo, are expected to meet with members of the business community who are unhappy about the blanket ban on alcohol from midnight Wednesday until Saturday morning.

Last week, the owner of Hotel Millenia, Tuala Oli Ah Him, criticised the ban.

 “Usually on Easter and other public holidays where there is an alcohol ban, the hotels are exempt,” Tuala said.  “But this time, I was surprised when I noticed that the ad from the Liquor Board now includes hotels.” 

Tuala said he understands the rationale behind the decision to ban alcohol sale among voters and members of the public. But tourists should not be victimised. 

“It’s like they’re saying we don’t know what we’re doing with them enforcing the liquor ban on the whole country.”

The President of the Samoa Hotels Association, Adele Kruse, said they have received many complaints about the issue.

 “It’s not really the locals we are concerned about but our guests,” Ms. Kruse said. “It will be very hard for us to deny them this service.

 “From S.H.A.’s point of view this is not good for our industry to ban the sale of alcohol to our visitors.

“These are people who have planned for many years to have a beautiful vacation in the Pacific and their hard-earned money was used to make it possible. When they come here, they would like to enjoy the simple pleasures of life for example a glass of wine with their meals.”

 

01 March 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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