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No respect for the Tobacco laws at popular hotel

Nov 21, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – As Guyana gallops to becoming a global powerhouse in the production of oil and gas, the focus of our people has to be on strengthening our regulations and growing our capacity to police.
Developing countries continue to face the leakages of revenues from corruption and non-enforcement and shortages of skills, with consecutive governments lacking the will or simply run out of time before the next elections cycle, to start the ball rolling when it comes to modernising our systems.
Take for example the tobacco legislation –Tobacco Control Act 2017–passed in 2017. Enforced by government, it strictly stipulates how cigarettes should be packaged along with mandatory labelling warnings. It forbids advertising.
The passage of the Act is a clear recognition of the dangers of tobacco and Guyana would have joined a host of other countries to tackle a source of major health problems.
The Act bans the advertisement of tobacco products and guides the conditions of sale of cigarettes and forbids purchases and sales by minors.
Perhaps the biggest changes we saw were changes to how citizens could use tobacco in public spaces.
Casinos, bars and enclosed buildings where the public gather, are forbidden to allow smoking with stiff penalties for breaches.
For ease of reference, Part V of the Act says that no person can smoke in any indoor workplace; any indoor public place, on board of a public transport, whether or not a member of the public is on board.
Persons are forbidden to smoke five metres from a window of ventilation of a public place or indoor workplace. The ban extends to any park, playground or amusement park, stadium, arena, sport or any space that commercially sells food or drinks.
The smoker, if caught, can face a $10,000 fine for first offence, and $20,000 for the second.
The Act speaks also to managers or those responsible for public spaces, workplaces or vehicles–they have to ensure that persons do not smoke.
The public spaces, for ease of reference, include health care institutions and facilities; educational and child care facilities, retail establishments including stalls, stores, shops and malls; hotels and other lodgings, restaurants, bars, pubs, cafes and other drinking and eating establishments.
The regulators are also targeting gaming machines venues and casinos, clubs, cinemas, game arcades and pool halls.
Editor, I took the liberty of reminding our people of these laws, as the bad news is that our people and managers who should be regulating can be accused of turning a blind eye.
I was recently with a family member at the Ramada Hotel, Providence. I have been going there since it was opened.
I am well aware of the passage of the new Tobacco laws. This has not been the first time that I have seen persons smoking around the popular pool side. The area cannot be considered outside as numerous dining tables dot the pool area.
It would therefore be impossible to smoke without affecting a non-smoker. One guest was smoking and refused to desist.
I brought it to the attention of management and initially while the overseas guest was adamant that he has been smoking there without anyone stopping him before, the heated situation was brought under control eventually.
It was shocking to learn that nobody has stopped him before, for about the two months he was there, from smoking near the pool area. It is clear that the management was either unaware or deliberately turned a blind eye.
Editor, we are facing serious times, not only from the pandemic and shipping crisis but from the unprecedented level of migration and opening of businesses on our shores.
We cannot send the wrong signals. We have to prove, that as an oil country that we are serious about our people.
Locals, foreigners and expatriates alike have to all ensure that the laws are respected.
Our regulators have their jobs cut out for them and there must be visible attempts to improve our quality of life.
Places like Ramada can and should find places for smokers that are away from families.
It is not being petty. It is about our laws and how serious we are.

Cobeer Persaud

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