Editor's Blog Feb 10th 2012
GSLP Duplicity?
For the last few days I have noticed an increase in foot RGP patrols in the area of Laguna Estate, especial around the less visited areas, behind the blocks and patios, where Spanish tobacco smugglers regularly strip down to their underwear to conceal boxes of cigarettes about their person.
This is a very welcomed development, but it still does not stop the hordes of Spaniards, and now Eastern Europeans who carry out multiple runs back and forth across the border daily.
Out of the seven shops that initially operated as bakeries, groceries, or fast food take always at one time or another, four of them have succumbed to the lucrative tobacco trade, as well as providing a side service as a convenience store.
In two of these shops no effort is made to provide any other service other than the sale of large quantities of tobacco. It is these shops that I think should be closed and moved out and away from the Laguna Estate area, as they serve absolutely no purpose to the residents whatsoever.
It is my belief that there are far too many tobacco outlets in Gibraltar as it is. With new ones, opening every day. If Fabian Picardo’s Government is serious about smoking bans, he should start by revoking tobacco licences of these shops in residential areas.
Please read the GSLP’s excerpt of its manifesto on the smoking ban below.
NO SMOKING IN ENCLOSED PUBLIC PLACES
As Gibraltar takes its place amongst the community of modern European nations, we need to make changes and reforms, not just to our political system, we must also make changes to our daily lives. Smoking is regarded as dangerous even by most smokers and we accept that the overwhelming medical evidence points to smoking as a source of cancer and other ill-health. Passive smoking has also been shown to be damaging to health and can affect children as well as adults. Most European nations now have in place bans on smoking in enclosed public places that even many smokers welcome. Government offices are already subject to a smoking ban, as are most private sector offices. We will introduce a ban on smoking in enclosed public places in Gibraltar which will be accompanied by a GHA programme to help those who want to stop smoking to do so. We will offer restaurants, bars and social clubs generous tax and rates advantages to amortise any potential loss of business as a result of the smoking ban. This is an important progressive step for Gibraltar that should enjoy cross party support. Scientific evidence suggests that smoke in confined places is bad for people who do not smoke especially young children. There will therefore also be a permanent “Anti-Smoking” campaign in comprehensive schools and youth clubs.
Now, you don’t have to have the brains of a nuclear physicist to see how flawed this promise to take Gibraltar amongst its place within the modern community of European Nations. The Gibraltar Government is telling us that smoking is dangerous and it is linked to cancers and other ill health, but has no qualms about selling the stuff in huge quantities. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
Ed.
