Alcohol levy didn't work, made drinkers desperate - BIDPA study

A study by the Botswana Institute of Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA) found that the alcohol levy did not only fail to reduce the consumption rate, but actually forced drinkers into more desperate alternatives, trade ministry executives have revealed.

The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry commissioned BIDPA to research the issue last year and is now sharing the results, as a nationwide review of the levy and restrictive alcohol trading conditions gather momentum.

This morning, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Peggy Serame told members of the Public Accounts Committee that the levy had achieved the opposite of what it was intended to achieve. 

Editor's Comment
Inspect the voters' roll!

The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...

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