Cigarette manufacturing factory

Aeau Peniamina Leavai says the decision to grant a license to the foreign owned tobacco company undermines efforts to improve public health in the country.

In a recent statement, the Minister of Public Enterprises Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell, dismissed concerns about the project saying smoking was a personal choice unaffected by where a cigarette was manufactured.

But opposition MP Aeau disagrees.

“There is nothing wrong with building a tobacco factory, because we can’t stop people from wanting to consume tobacco or smoking. So if we stop ourselves from putting up a tobacco factory, we will still have tobacco coming in from overseas,” he said.

“Even if we put up the taxes on these productions there are still people, who will still buy and consume tobacco. So the important part of that is the government can make money to move its plans as well provide our people with jobs,” he added.