The proposal to tax or ban rice and taro wines is part of COSAP’s efforts to reduce consumption of alcohol and tobacco in the country, especially among minors. Since taro and rice wines are not being taxed, it is readily available in almost every store in Palau at a much cheaper price.
According to Michael Meyar, member of COASP, “We are trying to get as many signatures in Meyuns Hamlet then we will go to the Congress to submit a petition so they can propose a Bill to tax or ban rice wine,” said Meyar.
At present, Meyar said they have gathered more than 100 signatures in Meyuns so far.
Meyar added that they have done a survey which confirmed an increase in consumption of taro wine in the country. “People are buying these wines because they are cheap and get you drunk easily. Even the kids are buying them nowadays,” he said.
Although taro and rice wines are banned in some States in Palau, they are still being sold secretly. According to Meyar, one bottle of rice or taro wine costs only $1.00 to $1.35.
Since these kinds of wine are not regulated, Alvino Kenty, Meyuns Elementary School said, “Everybody can just manufacture these wines and sell them. They do not even go through an inspection if they are safe for drinking.”
Meyar said he has personally visited a taro/rice wine factory, “It was dirty. I’ve been running around trying to find factories and places where they manufacture these wines, and they just do it everywhere. There are no proper facilities, nobody knows if it is even clean and safe to drink,” Meyar explained.
Kenty said if they tax these wines, at least they can be at regulated. “If they tax them the government can get some money and we will be able to produce them properly,” he said.
