— says gov’t going ahead with implementation of Tobacco Control legislation

SAFEGUARDING the health of citizens is paramount in the minds of the APNU+AFC coalition government and it is with this in mind that the Tobacco Control Bill was passed in the National Assembly.

Despite criticisms by the Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO) and other stakeholders, the government on Thursday made it clear that it intends to follow through with the implementation of same when assented to by President David Granger.

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence told reporters just before the start of the 69th Sitting of the National Assembly of the first session of the 11th Parliament, that “government has a right under the Constitution and as human beings to ensure that we take care of our people.”

The public health minister noted that cancer remains the number two cause of death in Guyana and pointed to studies which have shown that tobacco is one of the agents which contribute to the disease.

While she could not quote statistics, the minister of public health made it clear that the effects of smoking are significant.

DEMTOCO on Wednesday called on President Granger to withhold his assent, and allow the bill to be sent to a Joint Select Committee of Parliament.

The Tobacco Control Bill was passed last Thursday in the National Assembly with Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence arguing that the tobacco epidemic remains one of the greatest public health threats of the 21st century, claiming the lives of seven million people annually.

Six million of those deaths are a direct result of tobacco consumption, while about 900,000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. It is anticipated that the bill when enacted, will help to curb the manner in which people smoke, resulting in less deaths.

The tobacco company called for the legislation to be properly analysed and reviewed to minimise the impact of the measure, not only on the industry, but on citizens.

In fact, the company has argued that implementation of the legislation will put hundreds of street vendors out of business, while giving rise to the illicit trade of tobacco products

However, Minister Lawrence made it clear that the bill will not prevent persons from smoking and moreover does not ban the sale of cigarettes

“What the bill asks is that persons do not sell loose cigarettes. So when the regulations come out you will see how many cigarettes must be in the packets and what must be on those packages,” Lawrence said in response to questions on the ban of cigarette sale.

Additionally, it was brought to the minister’s attention that the Tobacco Control Bill states that “No person shall go into any public place carrying any tobacco product, electronic delivery system or component, in a tray, container or otherwise for the purpose of making sales or commercially displaying the product,” but she said that section is applicable to health, government, education and sport facilities.

Section 34 of the bill titled “Prohibition on sales in certain places,” speaks specifically to the sale of any tobacco product, electronic delivery system, or component anywhere on the premises for healthcare, sports, athletic, recreational, educational facilities and government buildings or any other place prescribed by the regulations.

STOPPING INCONVENIENCE

Lawrence assured that “We are not here to stop people from smoking cigarettes, we wouldn’t like people to smoke cigarettes period, but we are not here to stop people, what we want to do is to ensure that persons who do smoke, that the smoke is five metres away from open doors, windows and so on, so that people don’t die from second-hand smoke.”

She noted that the term workplace can refer to a home, as there are many cases of persons taking care of small children in their homes, or caring for the elderly in their homes.

The minister went further to explain that workshops, or mechanic shops are oftentimes attached to persons’ homes and noted that once persons are employed there, the premises becomes a workplace.

DEMTOCO is a subsidiary of British-American Tobacco Co, which has annual revenue of US$63 billion. Even though DEMTOCO ceased production in Guyana in 1997, it still markets and distributes widely in Guyana.

According to reports, the tobacco company continues to make a profit with the increase in tobacco sales over the years, at an average yearly rate of 18 per cent. In 2016, DEMTOCO paid $4B in taxes to the local treasury. Once the law is enacted, its revenue is expected to drop significantly.

MUST ENGAGE

Meanwhile, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Thursday said while it appreciates the international obligations Guyana has acceded to, it believes that government must engage with the tobacco industry on the legislation and the effect it will have.

According to the PSC, it is aware that the government believes the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) protocols dictate that it should not engage in dialogue with the tobacco industry.

“The Private Sector Commission views this as an inconsistency. Ours is an independent jurisdiction called Guyana and most democracies were built on dialogue.

“The Select Committee of Parliament is a platform which belongs to the people of Guyana and we join in the call by the industry to refer the Bill to a Select Committee,” a statement from the commission said.

The body urged the government to address the civil rights issues contained in the Bill through the utilisation of the process of the Select Committee of Parliament.

“The commission is aware of the reasons for the introduction of the bill as well as the hazards which it addresses.

“Guyana has, over many years, come a long way in controlling the practice of smoking in public places and the public as well as various operators of bars, hotels, cinemas, other businesses and smokers themselves should be applauded,” the PSC stated.

The Tobacco Control Act 2016 is aimed at fighting the tobacco epidemic by implementing the evidence-based requirements of the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to which Guyana acceded on September 15, 2005.