i’ll stop import of Chinese fags

By Kelum Bandara

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera is reported to have informed the Cabinet yesterday that he would stop the import of cigarettes from China for Chinese working and residing in Sri Lanka.  

 On an earlier date, the minister had told the Cabinet that the Chinese in Sri Lanka were not used to local brands of cigarettes and therefore he would allow the import of a quota of Chinese cigarettes for their use.  His statement drew flak from several quarters with Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne openly criticising the move.and the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) voicing its opposition to such cigarette imports.