A local businessman has disputed the Alcohol Control Board Secretary's statement on his company not meeting three key requirements for a license to manufacture liquor.

The owner of Talofa Spirits and Liquor Company Limited, John Rankin told Samoa Observer in an interview on Monday that the statement issued by the Alcohol Control Board Secretary, Lupe Tariu-Mataia on Sunday to this newspaper did not make sense.

He said Ms. Tariu-Mataia was at a meeting with all liquor license holders in July this year and there was no mention at that time of his company having compliance issues.

"It is amazing how she can say stuff like that when she was at the meeting that we presented all our stuff, qualifications and all, formulas....she was there sitting at the meeting, I think it was in July," said Mr. Rankin. "And then she comes and says something she hasn't presented, it is ridiculous."

Mr. Rankin said they are waiting for their lawyer to get back to them this week to revisit the laws that the Alcohol Control Board used to penalise their company.

"It was in July when we sent them everything, of course, it is complete lies because I was ringing for updates. It is lies and she knows it."

The Alcohol Control Board's reference to the company's engagement of a "brewmaster" also came under scrutiny with Mr. Rankin claiming that the new liquor act does not mention it. 

"They talk about this thing 'brewmaster' in the article, in the new liquor act, there is no word 'brewmaster' in the new liquor act. 

"It is in the old act so I don't know what act they are following [as] the new act just says 'qualifications and experience' and didn't say anything about being brewmaster or anything."

In the press release issued to this newspaper on Sunday, Ms. Tariu-Mataia said the company has not met three key requirements, "particularly brewing methods and formula(e) to be used by a manufacturer, and qualifications of the brewmaster to be employed by the manufacturer". 

"These are specific legislative requirements which are necessary for the protection of consumers, and to control the manufacture of liquor by a license holder."

However, official correspondence in relation to this matter sighted by this newspaper also includes a "notice of compliance" dated 2/09/22 issued by Samoa's Ministry of Health (M.O.H.) and addressed to the C.E.O. of the Ministry of Revenue.

"This notice serves to advise that John Charles Rankin has complied with all the Health requirements under the Food Act 2015 and the Health Ordinance 1959 to operate a Liquor Manufacture (Talofa Spirits & Liqueurs Ltd) located Vaitele," reads the M.O.H. document. "The Ministry of Health will monitor the above business premise from time to time to ensure food safety standards are maintained."

The M.O.H. notice of compliance was signed at that time by the Acting Director General of Health, Tagaloa Dr. Robert Thomsen. 

Having not produced any of their products for the last 18 months, Mr. Rankin said they still believe that they've met all the requirements and they are now waiting for the green light to begin production again.