The Ministry of Health’s advocacy efforts for a smoke-free environment are proving fruitful as 49 workplaces have committed to enforcing a smoke-free
policy, according to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release.
Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy made this announcement at a press conference recently.
Dr Ramsammy said he hoped that by the time this is published there would be 60 organisations on the list.
The ministry’s target for 2008 is for 100 workplaces to become smoke-free zones with the adoption of the smoke-free policy.
Meanwhile, the minister also announced that some venues in the various regions hosting CARIFESTA X activities will be smoke-free zones.
“There will be very strict implementation, enforcement of the smoke-free policy of the Ministry of Health.
This has been agreed to with the CARIFESTA Secretariat and we hope that the Guyanese public and our visiting friends from abroad will comply with the instructions. There will be signs visible enough to show that various areas are smoke-free,” the minister is quoted by GINA as saying.
He noted that some venues will also have designated areas for smoking and people will be restricted to smoking in these areas. The health minister said that specific penalties cannot be put in place since the smoke-free policy is not in the country’s laws but patrons will be reminded of the policy by ushers and police will be authorized to enforce the policy by removing people from events.
It was noted that the policy will be implemented for both indoor and outdoor activities. Addressing the issue of ensuring the policy’s implementation at outdoor events Ramsammy said the smoke-free policy was successful as Guyana hosted Cricket World Cup in 2007.
The minister in responding to the question of making the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri a smoke-free zone said it continues to be one of the ministry’s priority areas to be converted into an absolute smoke-free zone.
Ramsammy said in the coming weeks, there will be various levels of consultation and the ministry’s smoke-free environment policy will be released shortly.
