A total of 189 liquor outlets within Guadalcanal Province is a threat to communities in the province with the increase in alcohol related crime.
Supervising Provincial Police Commander, Guadalcanal Province, Nixson Manetoga says “Alcohol related crime has increased in communities throughout the province due to ready access to alcohol through the 189 bottle shops as well as black markets and kwaso brewing.”
PPC Manetoga explains, “By looking at the 632 reported cases for 2017 alone, a lot of these are alcohol related. This in turn has resulted in an increase in domestic violence cases reported with more than 10 to 15 cases recorded in a week for investigations.”
He adds: “Crime against person related to alcohol was high in 2017.”
PPC Manetoga adds: “To address this situation police in Guadalcanal Province have already setup crime prevention committees (CPC) around the province and these committees are working well with police to not only track down crime but prevent crime from happening. This includes addressing the issue of kwaso brewing which is affecting the youth.”
“I want to appeal to all of the people of Guadalcanal Province or even other people from different provinces who are living and working in the Province for all of us to work together to address these issues which is causing disharmony within our communities.”
PPC Manetoga says, “Let us work together in addressing crime in Guadalcanal. Police alone cannot do it but with the support of the people we will go a long way towards making our communities crime free.”