On Liquor In

Open Go Now

The Solomons

From a Honiara Correspondent The final liquor restrictions on Melanesians will be swept away in the Solomons on January 1, when the Protectorate’s new liquor amendment bill comes into force.

UNDER it, all Solomon Islanders 21 years old or over will have unrestricted access to liquor. At present the law allows them to drink only beer.

The new arrangements were ap proved at the December meeting of the BSIP Legislative Council, after a lengthy debate on what was ob viously the most controversial bill ever to come before the Council.

The December meeting was also the last meeting of the fully-nominat ed Council. The new constitution comes into force on February 1, and shortly afterwards elections will be held to fill eight of the ten unofficial seats in a new Council.

First Step

“It is only a first step, and I am confident that before long this country will be ready and eager to take further steps along the road,” said the Western Pacific High Com missioner, Sir Robert Foster, in opening the Council session on December 3.

The amendments to the liquor bill were proposed by a Melanesian member, Mariano Kelesi, last June, who said the section of the ordinance banning spirit drinking was dis criminatory, and that the Melanesians had proved since 1961 that they were able to drink reasonably.

The Secretary for Protectorate Affairs, Mr. M. A. Andrew, told the December meeting that the Govern ment accepted the principle of re moval of a discrimination; the moral issue as to whether natives should

drink had already been decided when beer restrictions had been removed.

Since June the Government had tried to ascertain public opinion, but had found it rather difficult because a number of islanders were opposed to drinking as such. Some people suggested prohibition but this was not the answer.

Mr. Andrew said that probably about one third of opinion was against drinking, about one third was not particularly interested, “but somewhat against it”, and about one third was in favour. The Govern ment thought this was adequate sup port to enable the bill to proceed, especially as nobody was forced to drink anyhow.

Mr. Kelesi said he had been asked by Islanders to get the ordinance amended so that like other Pacific Islanders they could drink on the same terms as Europeans. The old ordinance was undemocratic and unjust. Solomon Islanders could purchase spirits any time on the black market and those who had permits to drink spirits were embarrassed when drinking with those who had not.

Mr. Kelesi said it was not just whisky the Solomon Islanders wanted—but freedom.

Bishop Leonard Alufurai (a