Liquor Board identifies issues after Savai’i inspection

25 April 2018, 12:00AM

The Liquor Board has completed its final Savai’i inspection for this financial year.  

The inspections are a mandatory part of the Liquor Boards duties to ensure that shops and hotels that sell and distribute alcohol, adhere to the laws governing their liquor licences.  

The inspections commenced last Thursday in Salelologa making its way across the Itu-o-Tane side visiting all the shops along that route towards Asau on the first day.  

On the following day the inspections continued from Asau making its way across the Itu Salega side to cover and inspect the rest of the shops on that side of the island ending at Salelologa.

This inspection highlighted the following issues which were later on discussed and addressed at a board meeting.

It was chaired by the Minister for Revenue, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt.  

This was held at Vaimoana in Asau after the first day of inspections had concluded.

• Businesses selling liquor but do not display their liquor licences

• Businesses selling liquor without licences

• Businesses that no longer sell liquor but have not notified the Ministry to cancel their licence

• Businesses that have not renewed their licences

• Businesses that have closed down but have not notified the Ministry to cancel their licence

At the end of the meeting the Board came to a consensus to revisit some of the shops in Salelologa and Salelavalu that were selling alcohol without licences. 

 This was to ensure that they had adhered to the warnings given by the inspecting board the day before to avoid any penalties.  

The penalty for those found not adhering to the rules and regulations governing the Liquor Licences is ST$1,500 – ST$5,000 depending on a decision by the Liquor Board.  

The Liquor Board was fully represented for the Savaii inspection and that included the Minister Tialavea Tionisio Hunt, Chairman of the Liquor Board, Associate Minister, Lenatai Victor Tamapua, Vice Chairman of the Liquor Board, five community members and representatives from the Ministry of Police, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Revenue.

25 April 2018, 12:00AM

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