Morobe’s Provincial Liquor Licencing Officer, Nathaniel Mark, has responded to concerns over the placement of a liquor shop within a residential area in Lae, saying the shop is on commercial land.
An LLG councillor, Carol Yawing, brought the matter to the public earlier this week saying the liquor shop was too close to residential areas.
But the licencing office says the shop is operating legally.
The Provincial Liquor Licencing Commission confirmed the liquor shop trading as KC2 Limited at Cassowary Road is an existing liquor business.
Mark said the liquor shop was operating at Malahang Industrial Centre in 2013, before it got relocated to Cassowary recently.
KC2 Limited paid for the distributor’s licence on March 3 of this year, and deposited for the retail licence on June 20.
The residential area and the commercial land are separated by the Cassowary Road that runs through it.
Mark said social disturbances have always been an issue along Cassowary Road due to illegal sales of alcohol in residential areas.
The Liquor Licencing Board did not seek recommendations from the Ward Councillor and other community leaders.
According to the board’s understanding, the land on the other side of the road is commercial land for business operations.
The area the liquor store is operating on was previously a market place, benefiting the residents here.
KC2 Limited has paid this part of the land off, and constructed its own building for business operations.
