Against tobacco control bill: A small group of cigarette vendors yesterday staged a protest calling for tobacco control legislation not to be passed. The group stood in front of the public buildings during the 68th sitting of the National Assembly where the bill was being debated.
According to the group, the Ministry of Public Health should have consulted with small vendors before taking the bill to parliament.
Leader of the group, Andy Gonsalves said for many selling cigarettes it is what they make a living from to support their families. He added that with the new regulations they would have to remove from the market. “Soon they gone want take we off the market because they don’t want us to sell loose cigarettes anymore and a lot of people cannot afford the pack and since they would not be able to retail cigarettes by selling it loose,” he stressed.
He went onto say, “we are not in support of it. We don’t want the bill to pass right now they should give some time.”
The bill was passed last night.
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