It looks like 2017 is going to be a very hard year for those who like the sweet taste of alcoholic drinks because the government will increase by a 100 percent the taxes on alcoholic products. This means the beer sellers and clubs are going to increase the prices of the alcohol making it unaffordable for hustlers.

The new proposal, it finance minister said, will also see higher taxes placed on telecommunications companies and on tobacco sales.

“We will increase excise [duty taxes] on alcohol from 50% to 100% and tobacco from 30% to 50%. This tax on luxury [goods] will improve health,” Stephen Dhieu Dau told Parliament on Tuesday.

According to the finance minister, increasing taxes of non-oil revenues such as alcohol, tobacco and reducing government expenditure, will boost the young nation’s economic outlook.

HIJ had an interview with a bar owner in Juba on the issue and he had this to say, “if the Government pass the budget to increase taxes then that will force us to act accordingly and increase our prices too.”

Currently, in Juba, most people can’t afford to buy a bottle of beer as its too costly forcing people to go for the cheap local brew-Siko. Expect a bottle of a beer at 800 SSP in 2017.