Carrying on smoking

Despite the fact that new laws relating to smoking in public places was approved more than a month ago and was certified by the Speaker two weeks ago, its implementation seems rather slow.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Authority is yet to be set up and restaurants where smoking is prohibited under the law continue to allow smoking within their premises as was evident to visitors to one such place on Galle Face Terrace.

And despite all the hue and cry about bringing down billboards glorifying alcohol products, they too are very much intact. So much for the influence of the “Urumaya” on the “Chintanaya.”

Only mere words

This is no different from the grand declaration made ahead of the Buddha Jayanthi celebrations in May that all stalls selling meat in the open would need to shield their products.

Well this too has been confined to the announcement and the unpleasant sight of slaughtered animals and animal parts hanging along roadsides is quite a common sight in many areas.