A new set of standards to guide the manufacturing, sales and import of liquor in Samoa and includes a proposal to limit alcohol volume has been approved by the Liquor Board.

The proposal includes limiting the alcohol volume for some locally brewed beers, the Samoa Observer can reveal. 

The formulation of the new standards was confirmed by the Chairman of the Liquor Board and the Acting Prime Minister in response to questions from the Samoa Observer this week. 

Tuala Iosefo Ponafasio said that they will prepare a paper for the Cabinet's consideration of whether they approve the new regulations before it is returned to the Liquor Board to finalise and vet the new standards. 

He said the move by the Liquor Board has been quite a long process and in the works for the last two years while also confirming that the Liquor Board passed the new set of standards but it needs to go through the proper processes before it is finalised. 

"This includes submitting the new sets of regulations to Cabinet for consideration whether they endorse the new principles before it will be returned to the Liquor Board to finalise the regulations," said Tuala. 

"We definitely learned a lot from what we went through by conducting inspections and hearings. There have been a lot of meetings and consultations to develop the policies."

One of the factors they considered, while formulating the new sets of standards, according to Tuala is the health of the people of Samoa. 

"Hopefully these standards and regulations to come will effectively contribute to the health of our people. Also, this can help with the work of the Police to reduce the level of offending thereby less work for the courts. 

"It will help alleviate the number of domestic violence cases within families and alcohol-related crimes for a better Samoa. It's to simplify the process so people can obtain first a business license as a criteria to apply for a liquor license so if you don't have a business license, you will not be eligible to have a liquor license."

Tuala said the Liquor Board considered the health of all the people drinking beer as a priority and the new standards will be made public after going through the right processes and approval from the Cabinet. 

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Police confirmed that there has been a major drop in the number of alcohol-related crimes since the implementation of an order from the Liquor Board to shut down all locally brewed spirits with high alcohol percentages.