Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh yesterday took a jab at former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar who, at a press conference earlier this week, had complained that salt ought not to be placed on the VAT list.
Speaking at the opening of two new wards at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, Deyalsingh said salt resulted in high blood pressure, which in turn resulted in other lifestyle diseases.
Holding up a bag of cheese sticks, the minister urged that this was an unhealthy snack for children, adding that the daily intake of salt for an adult was five grammes.
“This is what you need to live a healthy life. If you don't cook with salt you eh go dead. And de whiter de bread de faster you will dead.
“So when we talk about VAT on salt if you eliminate salt from your diet and that of your children you will lead a healthier life,” Deyalsingh added.
The ministry was also expected to roll out its Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) policy within the next two to three weeks.
“We are going to wage an intellectual war on salt, sugar, fats and asking people to exercise,” the minister added.
But despite encouragement to decrease its salt intake the population simply refused to listen, Deyalsingh said.
On the issue of outstanding arrears to health workers he said this would be done at the end of fiscal 2016.
He said the workers fell under the public sector and this entity was owed some $1.7 billion.
“The mechanism for raising the money to pay those arrears is via the commercial banks by either borrowings or raising of bonds.
“Those negotiations with the commercial banking sector started on December 11 last year and we are going quite well,” Deyalsingh said.
Regarding the exact date when the monies would be paid he said no fixed date could be given but it “would be soon.”