Lockington's Everyday Fiji ... Life Goes On

Sale of Poison

Methylted spirits is being drunk like any alcohol and is fondly called “sprispra” in Lautoka and it is cheap. 

In the past and according to the Methylated Spirits Cap 193: Vol XI  regulation the sale of this product was restricted. The governing body is the District Office in various districts. The importation must be done with a import permit and each time it is sold over the counter the customer's name must be  recorded in a register together with the purpose it was being bought.

The sale of methylated spirits was so restricted that only authorised traders with a resale permit could sell it.   

But today, despite these regulations,  this “poison” can be bought from many outlets and our people have access to it for the purpose of getting drunk.

Do we wait until someone is affected by it or goes blind then we act? Or do we put our foot down now and seriously restrict its sale. I see my fellow citizen sitting in and around Lautoka glassy eyed and heavily under its influence. Traders should be self regulating and think of their fellow man and refuse to sell this poison.

I wish to TELL the regulating body to have a look at the Methylated Spirits Cap 193: Vol XI and see what you have omitted in your duties. Please, for the sake of our citizens.

I am told that it has been drunk since time began, but this is no excuse for inaction.

Denatured alcohol or methylated spirits is ethanol that has additives to make it undrinkable (Denatured alcohol or methylated spirits is ethanol that has additives to make it undrinkable (poisonous), to prevent human consumption. In some cases it is also dyed  to prevent human consumption. --  Wikipedia.

Allen Lockington is a self-employed customs agent and business consultant who has regular articles published in Fiji. I thank Allen for permission to reprint some of them in this political blog. They remind us that life goes on, whatever the political situation. And it's good to know that.