We know where you live

The Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has said that the country’s government is being pressured by tobacco companies on the issue of raising taxes, according to a story in The Colombo Page.

He said he had identified the group of companies that was against the government’s raising tobacco tax to 90 percent.

The President recalled that he was intimidated over the issue of raising taxes on tobacco products by representatives of tobacco companies during his tenure as the Minister of Health in the previous government, and the current government was also facing pressure from tobacco companies.

Sirisena made these observations on Saturday at an event held to mark the opening of a new treatment unit and blood bank at the Apeksha cancer hospital in Maharagama.

He said the government had proposed to the cabinet that the tax on tobacco products should be increased to 90 percent.

The proposal, which had been tabled for six weeks, was now stagnant, he said, before adding that he knew who was behind the delay.

“But we must do what has to be done without delay and I declare this to the whole country at the Cancer Hospital in Maharagama,” he said.