A young man from Choiseul has died after an all-night on drinking spree involving kwaso (homebrew) allegedly mixed with a chemical substance.
The incident occurred at Siruka village, near the Suri Mining Camp in North East Choiseul Province.
The incident happened around 7am on Monday 1st September, when the man reportedly collapsed after hours of consuming the illicit brew with two companions.
Eyewitnesses told the Solomon Star the trio were employed at the mining camp and had been drinking kwaso throughout Sunday night.
“By early Monday morning, one of them collapsed and was rushed to the mining clinic, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival,” a witness said.
According to reports, the group had allegedly mixed homebrew with an acidic chemical believed to have been taken from the mining laboratory.
The chemical, reportedly used by some workers to enhance the strength of their drink, is suspected to have contributed to the death.
Community members described the incident as another tragic reminder of the dangers of kwaso consumption and substance abuse among youths in rural areas.
“This should be a wake-up call to leaders to address the sale and production of kwaso in our communities,” a villager stressed.
Police and health authorities are expected to further investigate the incident.
By AUGUSTINE PENEVOLOMO
Solomon Star, Gizo
