A New Cigarette Manufacturing Plant to be Established in SL?

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Assistant Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge referring to the media reports stating,  that a cigar-manufacturing plant in western Ireland will be closed  in May  2017 and planned to  move its operations to Sri Lanka. He raised concerns regarding this  Belgian tobacco company shifting its operations to Sri Lanka.
The government claims that its policy is to discourage tobacco consumption as well as production. In that context, supporting a cigar manufacturing company to open its operation in Sri Lanka would contradict this policy. Therefore, we need a clarification from the government regarding its stance on the matter, he questioned.

 Dr. Aluthge also said that GMOA will write to the President Maithripala Sirisena regarding the matter along with their other suggestions to discourage cigarette consumption.