Dispensary Corner

UNITED States customs officials last week seized more than 40,000 counterfeit condoms which were being imported into Puerto Rico from China. The Durex-branded items

(pic ured) were seized in a major operation over a five day period in the capital, San Juan.

The US Department of Customs and Border Patrol warned that the fake prophylactics were not subject to strict quality controls and “may contain substances that could lead to long term health problems.

“Fake condoms will not guard the user against sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy,” it warned.

THERE'S no such thing as a free lunch, so the saying goes - but that’s not currently the case in the Pacific nation of Tonga.

In a bid to battle the country’s obesity problem, the government is delivering thousands of free baby chickens and ducks to communities, in the hope it will encourage citizens to reduce consumption of imported meat.

At least 10,000 chicks and ducklings have been sent to villages across the archipelago, where 33% of the population have type 2 diabetes.

“The whole thing is trying to reduce the imports of fatty chicken,” said agriculture ministry spokesman Viliami Taufa.

Other recent initiatives include a discount on fresh fish and higher taxes on tobacco and turkey.