Won’t allow import of foreign cigarettes: Rajitha
Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne today said he would not allow the import of foreign cigarettes to Sri Lanka as long as he is the Minister of Health.
Earlier, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that cigarettes should be imported from China as Chinese workers in Sri Lanka are highly depended on them.
Addressing an event held in Colombo today, the Health Minister said there were only 6,000 registered Chinese workers in Sri Lanka but there are about 10,000 Indian workers.
“If we allow the import of Chinese cigarettes for 6,000 workers, then India will ask to send Indian cigarettes to some 10,000 of its workers here. Russia could also say that they want to send their cigarettes. As long as I’m the Health Minister, I won’t allow the import of foreign cigarettes,” he said.
(Source: Daily Mirror)
Election is very close. These politicians now woke up rom their sleep and talk about patriotism, Buddhism, local trade. This is a government which started importing rice from 5 countries, import Fiber rope (Kohu Lanu), rubber sleepers, fish from neighboring countries. What is 10,000 Indians and 6,000 Chinese doing here? Don’t we have enough skilled labour here. The other thing is Thaaju Deen and Eknaligoda again emerging from their graves. Election is around the corner folks.