Opposition MP raises concerns about impact of smoking

The Opposition Barbados Labour Party is urging all Barbadians to stop smoking and is suggesting that the time has come for Government to institute more stringent measures to ensure that innocent bystanders’ health is not impacted by second hand smoke.

 

Opposition Member of Parliament, Dwight Sutherland made the comments while contributing to the debate in the House of Assembly yesterday morning on the Health Services (Amendment) Bill, as he noted that while a ban has been placed on smoking in public there are still a number of persons who take it upon themselves to smoke in public places, putting others at risk.

 

In fact, the St. George South MP told the Lower House that exposure to such smoke can lead to asthma attacks and other health issues. He made the comments just moments after indicating that the BLP was in support of the Bill, which seeks to regulate electronic cigarettes and place more graphic warning labels on all cigarettes sold in this country.

 

“We will support the Ministry of Health in all of their efforts to sensitise Barbadians on the dangers of smoking; we have no difficulty with it,” he said.

 

The MP made the point as he noted that the provisions within the Bill are in keeping with international trends. Speaking specifically to the labelling provision, he said promoting messages on the dangers of smoking is indeed the direction in which a government should be going.

 

“Non-communicable diseases, strokes, these are some of the things that are impacting our citizens negatively and we will join with the efforts by the Ministry of Health and all practitioners to ensure that Barbadians are sensitised in a more meaningful way on the dangers of smoking,” he said.

 

But even as he raised concern about the impact of smoking on the Barbadian population, Sutherland contended that “equally as dangerous” as smoking, is the state of the country’s economy. As such, he maintained that it is time for the Government to tell the people what is the “true state of our economy”.

 

“While we can stand here and we can debate the Health Services Bill, I believe that the state of this economy is just as dangerous as smoking in public places and I think it is high time that the Prime Minister of this country, the Right Honourable Member for St. Michael South and the Minister of Finance, address a number of issues that are impacting the citizens of this country just like smoking,” he said. (JRT)