Juba authorities caution hotel owners over teenagers

December 29, 2014 (JUBA) – Authorities in the South Sudanese capital, Juba have vowed to close hotels and night clubs that allow underage girls drink alcohol and indulge in anti-social acts.

Festo Abudalla Aziz, the deputy mayor of Juba municipality, said hotel owners have ignored instructions, despite warnings.

“You continue to violate these [instructions], therefore you are not going to be allowed to be part of business in this part of the world,” Aziz said Tuesday.

According to Section III (g) of the 2009 Local Government Act, a child or any person under 18 is not to be subjected to negative and harmful cultural practice which harms his or her, welfare and dignity.

Aziz said some entrepreneurs in Juba have violated laws over time prompting warnings.

“If a hotel is conducting a party and in the party there are kids of less than eighteen years, we tell the owner of the hotel that by law kids are not allowed to be part of this occasion,” he said.

“[These parties are conducted] in a private place, dark place power is off, kids are drinking. [This] is not acceptable,” stressed the deputy mayor.

Meanwhile, a number of measures have reportedly been put in place to restore order in Juba, including a imposing a ban on local brews and improper rubbish disposal.

(ST)