Editorial – July 20, 2012
Fifteen jobs to aid in causing the deaths of 15,000 people daily, three times the population of Montserrat, and no recognized revenue to Montserrat, deviating from upholding Conventions the island has signed on to and uphold, producing products known to kill at least seven and a half (7.5) million people per year, are the reasons for or perhaps the excuse for setting up a cigarette factory.
Our top leaders in the country have by so doing will act against the advice of their finance committees that there is no economic benefit to Montserrat from the business and have declined to approve the business venture for fiscal incentives.
Premier Meade and at least one Minister both of whom as representatives of Government seem to be the major proponents of the industry that puts them in direct contravention of Article. What really can lead them to maintain that the cigarette factory will operate in Montserrat no matter what the objections or the reasons for that matter that it should not.
Montserrat through the UK signed the (World Health Organisation) WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) on June 16, 2003 and put into law on March 16, 2005. This committed Montserrat to observe and abide by the regulations, guidelines and protocols of a treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health.
This bound Montserrat to the WHO FCTC which asserts the importance of demand reduction strategies as well as supply issues in relation to cigarettes.
Why is there 175 states – countries in the world who signed this treaty? Because they all accepted that tobacco and all its related products according to the World Health Organisation cause the death of more than 15,000 people A DAY and accounts for ONE in SIX of all NCD (NON-COMMUNICABLE-DISEASE) deaths.
There are all kinds of material that show that tobacco is a barrier to development. And it is the need for economic development that government leaders give for them to turn their backs on the Conventions the island has accepted.
It doesn’t require much thought to recognize that by the UK Government turning a blind eye to this action or desire by the Premier and his Ministers, and cronies, give their blessings and are guilty of flouting the Convention/treaty they have signed.
The WHO FCTC was developed in response to the globalization of the tobacco epidemic. The spread of the tobacco epidemic is facilitated through a variety of complex factors with cross-border effects, including trade liberalization and direct foreign investment.
In the FCTC the Government is bound to provide “public awareness of and access to information regarding the adverse health, economic, and environmental consequences of tobacco production and consumption.” To name just a few: Articles 3, 12 and 15 speak to these issues which bind the Government to ensure certain actions are put in place before becoming involved in what in the case of Montserrat would be tantamount to the facilitation the already enormous illicit cigarette trade.
Interestingly, finding itself in the quandary (if this is at all profitable to Montserrat) it can work to our benefit under the very Convention to obtain financial assistance to replace the revenue lost by not joining in causing the deaths of so many people each day. Under the Convention, there are considerations for, “the social and economic difficulties that tobacco control programmes may engender in the medium and long term in some developing countries and countries with
Economies in transition, and recognizing their need for technical and financial assistance in the context of nationally developed strategies for sustainable development…” addressed in several of the Articles.
The Premier and the Minister of Health, both of whom have pronounced on this cigarette factory, need to understand their own responsibilities. Yes, for the economy and financial state of, as the health of Montserratians, firstly and the health of the persons they will damage in the rest of the world.
It is unthinkable that our leaders will consider participating or facilitating, for any reason, for 15 jobs to assist in causing the deaths of 15,000 persons on a daily basis. It is not unexpected that the questions that come our way, are such as, ”who really stands to benefit and how much?”
Other very dubious circumstances surround the cigarette factory. Government is displacing businesses from a factory shell in the vicinity of the electricity power plant, the new Ministry of Communication and Works building. They have not offered alternative accommodation to the furniture and mechanical garage businesses. This factory shell also houses Ideal Printers Ltd.
