Government?s war plan against second-hand smoke is a ?work in progress? Health Minister Patrice Minors said this week.

Speaking after Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkleys call on Friday for Government legislation banning smoking in restaurants and bars, Mrs. Minors said her Ministry was working closely with anti-smoking group BANS (Bermuda Advocates for Non Smoking) and was eager for Bermuda to sign on to the UN Convention against smoking.

Mr. Dunkley raised the matter in the House of Assembly on Friday and urged Government to take some hard decisions. ?All I?m saying is everybody knows that smoking is very harmful to one?s health but, in addition to that, second hand smoke is a hazardous killer,? Mr. Dunkley said yesterday. ?From all the studies, I know it?s a real hazard.?

He said the Opposition party was not calling for a total ban because cigarettes are legal. ?Until that?s changed, people should be allowed to enjoy that pleasure and kill themselves at the same time, but the fact is in restaurants and bars which have enclosed spaces, people should be protected.?

He added that there should be no fear that a ban on smoking in restaurants would affect tourism because the New York City ban had not seen a downturn in business. ?All I?m saying is why should they be impacted when they are enjoying a good meal. Bars and restaurants are not going to do it themselves because clearly they think they would put themselves at a competitive disadvantage. If Government legislates it, they?ve got no choice.?

Besides, he said, curbing smoking could save millions of dollars in public health funds.

Asked why he was urging anti-smoking legislation now when Government had already indicated their intention to do so, he said Minister Minors? statements had been ?very vague?.

?And I want to hold her feet to the fire to make sure she makes some real progressive changes that are meaningful.?

Mrs. Minors said that legislation against second-hand smoke will not come on line until Bermuda has met the requirements of the UN Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

?We need to become a party to it, but in order to become fully compliant we need to look at areas that need to be addressed. That includes legislation, but there are other areas also,? she said. ?I would just say it?s a work in progress. We intend to be a party to the United Nations Convention which calls for such legislation but first and foremost we need to be in dialogue with the various stakeholders to ensure they are all comfortable as to the way forward. The plan has been laid out to start that process.?