Friday, March 30 2007

THE West Indian Tobacco Company (WITCO) yesterday said its business would not be adversely affected by new legislation coming to Parliament in April which could lead to a ban on smoking in public places. While stating that WITCO has no idea about the details of this legislation, managing director Jean-Pierre Du Coudray said WITCO will continue to work with Government to ensure that the rights of smokers and non-smokers are equally respected.

On Wednesday, Health Minister John Rahael again hinted that Government will bring new tobacco laws to Parliament next month. Trinidad and Tobago signed the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2004. A smoking ban has already been implemented in all government offices and government vehicles.

Speaking with journalists after WITCO’s annual general meeting at Crowne Plaza hotel, Du Coudray said WITCO knew that new tobacco legislation would be coming since Government signed the FCTC three years ago.

Du Coudray said WITCO is not worried about a ban on smoking in public places. “We know that it is a responsible approach that they are trying to take. We are working along with them to make sure the right of the smokers are just as much put in place just as the right of non-smokers. We are trying to find an equal balance in terms of moving forward in terms of the type of legislation that they are discussing,” he stated.







Du Coudray said in countries where such bans exist, the overall production volumes of tobacco companies are not reduced. He explained that the reduction would occur if a tobacco company

tries to launch a new brand or convince consumers to switch to other products because of stricter regulations.

Asked if WITCO might drop any of its brands (Du Maurier, Benson and Hedges, Broadway and Pall Mall) if smoking is banned in public places, Du Coudray said the company constantly reviews the performance of its products. “If a brand is not performing as expected, we will remove it from the portfolio,” he said. Du Coudray also said WITCO decided on its own not to advertise its products in either the electronic or print media, in order to reduce the risk of persons under age 18 purchasing tobacco products. He explained that this allows WITCO to focus its marketing efforts on retail outlets where all consumers are over the age of 18.

During the meeting some shareholders suggested that WITCO consider reducing the amount of nicotine contained in its products in order to balance its commercial obligations with Government’s health policies. WITCO chairman Anthony Phillip admitted that he used to smoke frequently but does not do so anymore. WITCO corporate and legal affairs manager Danielle Chow said the company’s website is connected to the Health Ministry’s website and provides consumers with all the necessary information they need to decide whether or not they should quit smoking. Phillip said there was little WITCO could do about the increased taxes on cigarettes in the 2006/2007Budget.