CHINESE MUST ADAPT TO LOCAL FAGS IF THEY REMAIN HERE - UPFA

UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday charged that Chinese nationals must learn to adapt to Sri Lanka’s conditions by partaking its food, beverages and cigarettes if they work for longer periods in the country.

Mr. Amaraweera responding to a journalist at the weekly UPFA news briefing at the

SLFP party office said, a powerful Minister of the government was in a move to import a consignment of cigarettes for the use of Chinese nationals working in Sri Lanka by ignoring President Maithripala Sirisena’s protest over the promotion of tobacco.

F o r m e r M i n i s t e r Amaraweera said that the President has no power to stop what Ministers do under the 19thamendment to the Constitution.

“But I firmly believe that the cigarettes import has to be stopped because Sri Lanka produces cigarettes. Besides, there is no system anywhere in the world that expatriate workers import food, clothes, cigarettes, liquor or any other food from their native countries,” he said.

“Do Sri Lankans take a bottle of alcohol or cigarettes when they go abroad for employment? The Chinese must learn to adapt to Sri Lanka’s conditions and partake Sri Lankan food if they work for longer periods in this country,” Mr. Amaraweera said.

He also said the SLFP members would speak to President Sirisena on this issue on his return from Tajikistan and take measures to stop this practice immediately.

I firmly believe that the cigarettes import has to be stopped because Sri Lanka produces cigarettes