Wednesday, April 23 2008

BUSINESS PERSONS selling tobacco products without a licence will face a fine of TT$3 million and five years in jail while persons smoking in public places will have to pay a fine of TT$10,000. These were some of the tough measures outlined in the Tobacco Control Bill 2008 which was laid in the Senate.

Health Minister Jerry Narace, who first indicated the Government’s intention to bring this legislation to Parliament on January 7, told Newsday yesterday: “It is on the agenda. It will be debated in the not too distant future.”

The purpose of the bill is to implement the requirements contained in the World Health Organisation Framework on Tobacco Control which this country signed on August 27, 2003, ratified on August 19, 2004 and which took effect on February 27, 2005.

Clause Seven of the bill states: “No person shall manufacture, import, export or sell tobacco products wholesale without first having a licence, except however, that persons engaged in the business of manufacturing, importing, exporting or selling tobacco products on or before the coming into force of this Act shall have a period of up to six months from the date of this Act to apply for a licence.” Tobacco manufacturers will pay a licence fee of $12,000 per annum while a tobacco wholesaler pays a licence fee of $6,000 per annum.

Clause Eight states that smoking will be banned from public places such as offices, factories, health institutions, schools, restaurants, shopping malls, cinemas, and clubs. The bill requires a three-fifths majority for passage in Parliament.