Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator, Shamima Ali says while the prices of certain alcohol products will increase from January 18th, she thinks the increase is too less of a deterrent to stop people, in particular men, from buying and consuming.
Ali says government should have considered the repercussions of dropping the excise duty on alcohol in the first place.
She adds they are already receiving cases of men fighting with their partners over their alcohol and yaqona money and this little increase will only make matters worse for many women, girls and children already burdened with family issues and abuse.
Ali says they are also receiving cases of men forcing their partners to look for money so that they can buy alcohol.
She also says they have received reports of fights between people, mostly men, within communities and villages as a result of excessive alcohol consumption and some people are also illegally selling alcohol in many villages and communities.
Ali says apart from the increase in cases of domestic violence, our youths will be looking for easy money, even stealing to purchase their alcohol.
She says their research already shows that one of the most significant risk factors for women experiencing partner violence in Fiji today relate to the behavior and life history of her husband or partner if he drinks alcohol daily or weekly.
Ali adds they are already seeing the increase in alcohol-related crimes, particularly in the breaches of curfew hours because people are excessively consuming alcohol.
The Coordinator says to curb the alcohol-related social woes, she thinks the policymakers need to look at alcohol policy solutions such as reducing alcohol availability, regulating alcohol prices, as well as the treatment of alcohol use disorders.
She says people also need to get our priorities right as 2021 already seems to be a very challenging year.
