The decision that the court makes today is not to be taken as undermining the
State’s legitimate interest in the war on illegal and dangerous drugs. The
constitutional issues in this case are narrow ones, and focus only on the use,
possession and cultivation of cannabis by adults for use in the Rastafari religion and
also the use, possession and cultivation of cannabis by adults in private for personal
consumption. They do not touch or concern the issue of trafficking in cannabis,
illegal drugs or other illegal activities.
–per Ventose J. in Ras Sankofa Maccabbee v Commissioner of Police and AG of St Christopher and Nevis
The current local governing administration appears none too keen on the radical reform of the marijuana laws. From a purely political viewpoint, this is understandable. Should the experiment go horribly wrong, modern political thought would abhor the notion of being the party responsible for the catastrophe. An identical concept exists with the five hundred pound gorilla of the devaluation of the Barbados dollar. For a political administration to have been associated with this latter phenomenon would most assuredly sound its death knell in local politics. I am persuaded that a similar consequence might attend the reform of the marijuana laws should there be any adverse social fallout as a result.
Hence, so far we have heard tentative official word of a proposal to legalize the substance for medical purposes only and, as I recall it, not to broach the issue of recreational use at all. Subsequently, there has been no further word on the matter, until last week when we heard, not from the Prime Minister or the Attorney General or the Minister of Health or the Minister of Agriculture, but from the Minister with responsibility for Home Affairs, that the issue of decriminalization (sic) will now be decided by the people of Barbados in a referendum.
The Minister does not appear from the press report to specify whether the decriminalization refers to recreational or medical use but, allowing for a construction of his words de bene esse, it may be surmised that he might have been referring to purely recreational use. This is reinforced by his reliance on statistics from the Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit in its 2015 report that “indicated a strong correlation between early marijuana use and criminal behaviour”. He also described as “worrisome” the correlation between adverse psychiatric reaction and illegal substance abuse, a viewpoint that suggests a no vote, certainly on the Minister’s part, to any referendum on decriminalization of the substance for recreational use.
Any such referendum as proposed will of course be problematic, apart from the entire debate being unfortunately and inevitably perceived as a partisan exercise, given the popular ignorance of what precisely is meant by the concepts of decriminalization and legalization. And then there is the formulation of the question itself, an issue about which there is certain to be some pedantic nit-picking as was the case when, sometime ago, a referendum was proposed on Barbados’s formally “becoming” a republic by having a native Head of State.
Barbados traditional caution in the area of marijuana reform appears to differ, at least slightly, from that of its neighbours, some of whom have already passed or are in the process of decriminalizing some of the existing offences where the substance is consumed for medical or religious purposes or is less than a stipulated amount. Indeed, it can be asserted that the current regional public opinion hews towards the reform of the current marijuana laws, by making exceptions for, as the title states, medical religious and private purposes.
Some individuals are not even prepared to await legislative reform, but are choosing rather to enforce their use of the substance as a fundamental right that is being infringed by the current laws.
One such instance occurred two Fridays ago when in a carefully reasoned judgment, my erstwhile Faculty colleague and now honourable judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court based in St Kitts Nevis, Eddy Ventose, ruled that those sections of the anti-drugs law in that jurisdiction including cannabis in the list of controlled drugs and criminalizing the possession and cultivation of cannabis infringed the Claimant’s constitutional right to freedom of conscience and religion under sections 3 and 11 [sections 11 and 19, (Barbados)]of the Constitution to the extent to which it made no exemption for the possession or cultivation of any amount of cannabis by an adult member of the Rastafari religion for religious use by adults in the Rastafari religion.
He also made a declaration that those aspects of the Act referred to above likewise infringed the Claimant’s constitutional right to privacy under sections 3 and 9 [sections 11 and 17 (Barbados )] of the Constitution to the extent to which it made no exemption for possession by an adult in a private place of any amount of cannabis for his or her personal use in private.
More controversially, he also suspended the declarations made for a period of 90 days from the date of the judgment to allow the National Assembly to remedy the constitutional defects set out therein. This is controversial, in my view, in that the separation of powers doctrine makes it clear that legislation is a parliamentary and not a judicial process, so that the tacit suggestion to the Parliament by a judge as to what should be its legislative agenda does appear to smack of judicial overreaching. Against this however, I suppose that it may be argued that the provisions of the Act having been declared unconstitutional by the competent authority, the state having already signaled its intention to reform the law accordingly by the introduction of a draft Bill and on light of the concession made by the Attorney General, there should be no contestation on this issue. As the learned judge observed:
After the draft of this judgment was prepared, I was able to read the provisions of the Cannabis Bill 2019 published by the Saint Christopher and Nevis Information Service website (https://www.sknis.kn/cannabis-bill-2019/). Part II of the proposed Cannabis Bill is entitled “Cannabis for Religious Purposes”. It contains 10 sections regulating the use of cannabis for religious purposes.
And further;
I am also mindful that the National Assembly may need additional time to cure the defects in the Drugs Act in respect of the personal use and consumption of cannabis by adults in private. The Attorney General proposed that a period of 90 days should be sufficient to enable the necessary legislation to be amended and passed by the National Assembly.
I propose to attempt an analysis of the judgment in coming essays, but I should wish, first, to thank my learned friend, Philip Nicholls Esq.. for having supplied me with a copy of the judgment and second, to close with a personal recollection of an encounter with the late Mr. Seymour Nurse who shuffled off this mortal coil last week.
It was the evening for net practice on the big field and I was batting. The bowlers kept bowling the ball at my pads and I was on driving with some aplomb, I thought. Afterwards, Mr Nurse who was observing, called me over. “That looked good”, he said. My chest swelled with pride. I could not imagine a loftier compliment. And then, with his keen perceptive eye, he observed, “But you are falling forward when playing the shot. Imagine what it would be like if you kept your balance”. He then showed me how. May he rest in peace.
To be continued…
.
https://www.facebook.com/VICENewsTonight/videos/2202626929813211/
Jeff, in the latter part of the article you made mentioned of a ruling where the judge said that the criminalization of marijuana infringed upon the Rastafarian right of conscience and religion?
But doesn’t the state reserved the right to legislate on the application of that religion?
Take the example of a satanic worshiper … Human and animal sacrifices are part and parcel of they religious practices, but the state still reserved the right to dictate how those practices are applied.
The right of religion doesn’t entail and exclusive right of religion … especially if those religious practices causes harm to one self and others…
Subsequently, there has been no further word on the matter, until last week when we heard, not from the Prime Minister or the Attorney General or the Minister of Health or the Minister of Agriculture, but from the Minister with responsibility for Home Affairs, that the issue of decriminalization (sic) will now be decided by the people of Barbados in a referendum.
+++++++++++++++++
I didn’t know that Bajans elected 30 cowards who are afraid to make important decisions. A Gov’t with a 30-0 majority is in the North American parlance “punting” a decision to constituents. What does a referendum entail? Will there be mass meetings of the pro and con sides trying to encourage citizens to support their side or will it be argued in the media? Will GIS be issuing advisories providing reports from both sides of the argument or will Gov’t stay neutral? Will the results be binding if a small percentage of eligible voters vote or will it be back to the drawing board?
Gov’ts are elected to govern we may not agree with everything that it does but that is the nature of democracy as the saying goes they should either “s..t or get off the pot’.
Sergeant
A referendum is part and parcel of the political process … and it is also called Participatory Democracy…
The Freedom of Conscience Clause and Freedom of Worship Clause, Freedom thinks is in most of the Commonwealth Constitutions; however, it can be a Two Edged Sword. Rastafarians have always considered marijuana that we know of, to be a gateway drug to better Enlightenment.
Marijuana and its influence can be treated like how we treat Alcohol, meaning if you come to work under the influence, you can be sent home, also the possession and the use of which is not criminal.
Exercising our Right of Free Speech and our Right of Conscience should Not have Consequences unless it Impairs our Actions, if our Right of Free Speech and Conscience does not constitute Violence in the Traditional Sense. Please Consider the Following…
…Rugby Player Found Guilty of ‘High Level’ Breach of Conduct for Posting Bible Verse
05-11-2019
Israel Folau, the Australian national rugby player who was suspended for posting a Bible verse calling people to “repent,” has been found guilty of a “high-level breach” of professional conduct.
Folau’s Rugby Australia contract was terminated in April, but he requested a hearing in light of the disciplinary action.
A three-person panel will not decide what punishment Israel is to face, according to the BBC. The stripping away of his right to play the game comes at a terrible time for the world-famous center, who was hoping to play for his country in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, due to take place later this year.
Sponsorships Slashed
Following Rugby Australia’s controversial decision, one of Folau’s main sportswear sponsors, Asics, dumped his contract. Other Sponsors’ followed Suite.
Old Coach Jumps to Folau’s Defense
Former Australia coach Alan Jones launched into an impassioned defense of Folau following news of the verdict, noting that the decision “prompts you to wonder what kind of society we’re living in.”
“The Australian people won’t accept this,” he added, according to MSN. “This is not the Australia our veterans fought for and we’re going to have to take our country back by argument and by the democratic and peaceful process — not by hate and revenge or vilification and intimidation.”
Jones noted, “If we’re not free to articulate our religious beliefs and quote from the Bible, and if we’re not free to speak for fear that someone affects a hurt or is part of the offense industry, if that’s where we’ve reached in this country, we’ve reached a dark place and we are all at risk.”
The former coach and broadcaster did note, however, that Folau appears to be in good form following the brutal decision
“I’ve just had a note from Israel, he won’t mind if I’m sharing it with you because I said to him, ‘Hold your head up,’” Jones said. “He said, ‘Alan, I’m at peace, mate. My head is held high.’”
CONCLUSION
Here we see the Clear Exercise of Conscience being Curtailed that has no Exercise of Violence in it and peoples Will is being Abridged and Enforced by the PC Police.
Australian rugby union player Israel Folau leaves a Code of Conduct hearing in Sydney.
http://www1.cbn.com/sites/default/files/styles/video_ratio_16_9/public/media/slider/images/rugbyplayer.jpg?itok=kuK358Sq
Wuh Loss!! Clarification of our social objectives need to be analyze.
Is it the drug CBD in marijuana that we want to decriminalize ?
Or
Is it the drug THC in marijuana with its social hazards that we want to control?
Or
Are we using this as an opportunity to make political points?
Will Barbados follow Canada ?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/national-today-newsletter-legalized-cannabis-green-party-1.5125889
Some of this may be useful.
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/topics/cannabis-for-medical-purposes.html
@ Hants at 10 :29 AM..
Why must Barbados always follow another country? Do we not have 52 ounces of brains like everybody else ? And what are we to follow Canada doing? From your posts they seem to be vacillating. But that is O.K. The impact on the Barbadian society should be the deciding factor.
David BU
If everyone decides to engage in a “tic for tat” occasionally, that means you would close comments on all the posts or close Barbados Underground indefinitely?
I’ve seen contributors accusing you of all types of untoward deeds and insulting and demeaning you, yet you don’t close comments.
I believe you’re being a bit childish. But, after all “it’s your party and you can cry if you want to.”
BTW, tell the idiot WARU to stop lying on Enuff…. he was NOT the individual who said I’m appallingly ignorant. And he can VERIFY that.
@Artax
The blogmaster will use best judgement. You noticed it was allowed to continued for a few exchanges? An important topic commands anonymous egos are set aside. Add some value to the issues. These exchanges add nusiance value.
Jeff…thanks very much for that information re the judgement..it will prove to be very useful.
“This is reinforced by his reliance on statistics from the Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit in its 2015 report that “indicated a strong correlation between early marijuana use and criminal behaviour”.
Someone should investigate if there is a specific strain of marijuana on the island which was SMOKED by those in parliament and bar association…way too early…
Art…the man can close his blog..it is his blog.
try helping us instead, it is not an easy task that we set out to do
…and you still do not know who i am or what i know or even my reason for being here..although i said it over and over..
.we have a mission, i have not once deviated from that mission..i don’t know what your mission is or even of if you have one…but you are not helping us with ours..
.. maybe BU understands things a little more than you do and know when to fold.
It was frustrating that I was unable to post, but l fully support the blogmaster’s action.
He got it right, but took too long to do so. A few of those post should still be in moderation.
@ Vincent Codrington,
I refer to ” Canada ” because that is where I have lived continuously for the past 36 years.
This is a free blog and I ent nuhbody so my comments or suggestions can be ignored.You have more than enough home grown brainiacs in Barbados.
@ Hants at 11:13 AM
Where did you get the idea that you “ent nuhbody”? Are you sure you are a Barbadian? I do not respond to commentators that do not exist. So please continue with your contributions. I read them and I do comment on some . LoL!!!
Artax
Verified.
“…and you still do not know who i am or what i know or even my reason for being here..although i said it over and over..
.we have a mission, i have not once deviated from that mission..i don’t know what your mission is or even of if you have one…but you are not helping us with ours..”
And what is your mission???…… to repeat the same unsubstantiated shiite in every contribution and copy and paste information from other social media sites to BU as if it originated with you… or “making up things just to make things interesting?”
I believe BU goes beyond what you are making it out to be…… and I believe you’re just another nuisance who does not add value to the forum.
That’s just my opinion.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Mr. Blog Police,” you have my sincerest apologies because my contributions were not held in moderation and prevented you from contributing. Please forgive me, it won’t happen again.
problem with that there president Enuff…i ain’t the one being looked at and watched and monitored by everyone…… in “watch me nuh” style
…me nah tief nutting from the people them
…me nah run no scam on the population..
…me nah sweating now because ah got caught..
….me nah de one now has to be scared…because I KNOW WHY…
yep…definitely VERIFIED..
ah guess am having the best ever Mother’s Day…
🙂
My comments were directed at both you and Waru….
Chilling with my baby…
🙂
Jeff..in reviewing the judgement…is it safe to say that the St. Kitts legislation re marijuana cultivation, use etc … is similar in tone to Barbados’ ????
take note:
And the best thing about it all…i will be RIGHT THERE….to watch the whole show go down.
@ Vincent Codrington,
I is a Bajan as far as I know. lol
Art…one of these days i will tell you all that you are DYING TO KNOW…during a teaching moment..that is the only way ya may fully understand.., but today is not the day, i kept telling you to keep up…a long time now…things have moved on to a level of no return…so ya gotta wait..and watch.
Happy Mother’s Day to the BU ladies and the Daddy’s who take on Mommy duties..
Jeff…hold that thought…people are sharing the answer, best possible news..
@ Sargeant,
Referenda are not part of or system, that is why David Cameron left the UK in such a mess over Brexit. Our members of parliament are elected to make decisions or call general elections. That the Westminster model.
@Vincent
The negative consequences for Barbadian society of marijuana prohibition are devastating: arbitrary incarceration of the poor and the young, pathetic waste of law enforcement and court capacity, bringing the entire justice system into disrepute, immersing the entire society in the stink of hypocrisy, etc.
@ Hal at 1 :58 PM
Precisely! I concur.
.When one starts wrong ; one ends wrong. It always amazes me that under our system of governance persons talk so glibly of referendum and changing the constitution.
These very actions undermine the stability and credibility of the system. Very often they create more insoluble problems down the road.
Hal-xist and VC
Some decisions are so Big that it needs to get the approval of the Majority of the Population not just the elective Parliamentarians. I think you refer to that as Democracy. The UK did the referendum and they know what should be done. But as-usual the STATIST does not want people to Choose especially they DO NOT WANT THEM TO CHOOSE FREEDOM. Freedom to have their own Laws, Freedom to Develop their own Policies on E.G Emigration. Freedom to have their own Currency etc. But like in America there Emerges the Resist.
The BREXIT Party is more Popular than the Conservative and Labor Parties Combined and they only Starter four-Six weeks ago.
What we need is a BARBADOS FIRST Party…Not the International Lending Agencies First Party.
People do know what they voted for. -BREXIT.
https://www.facebook.com/657015324686799/videos/320978871927962/
https://www.facebook.com/657015324686799/videos/320978871927962/UzpfSTEwMDAwNTY2MzU1ODE1NDoxMDI0NDgxOTAxMDgzOTE5/
@ Peter, I totally agree. Prohibition has resulted in so many injustices in Barbadian society and a referendum to decriminalize marijuana is most likely the thing to bring change unless the government legislates the decriminalization without the referendum.
Decriminalization by legislation is the cheapest option which the government can put in place. It is amazing that it is taking this cowardly drawn out approach.
As the video shows the cultivation of marijuana has been put out of the reach of the common man in Jamaica. They are prohibited by the cost of the license and approval. My fear is that the same will occur in Barbados. One sector of the population is being taxed without adequate representation.
@ Freedom Crier
Hal-xist and VC(Quote)
You just have an obsession with labelling me. Maybe it is your experience behind Soviet walls. I am not a Marxist or Brexiteer. I am not just a remainder, but a supporter of a United States of Europe.
Here is a crash course in the Westminster model of government: we do not have referenda, but general elections. The elected government makes key decisions, or call a general election. Simple and very un-Soviet.
Let’s face reality…
BLACK LEADERS ARE USELESS.
@Hal (and @Vincent) you have both likely studied this referenda issue in depth…well beyond my review surely… but I am piqued by your perspectives that referenda are ” not part of [our] system”.
As much as this is a wonderful debate among pol scientists et al and agreeing that pols/leaders do often use a referendum as their blunt force instrument to bludgeon the electorate to their will, how though can u so grandly say it’s not a valid part of the democractic process.
1…referenda themselves have been used to get public approval of changes to the voting process … how is that not a viable tool in that regard!
2…properly done with stipulations for a majority vote percentange or even specific standards of acceptance the referendum would more broadly validate key decisions than an election may have.
That is to say, if a country registers only 50% – 65% of eligible voters at polls but stipulates a 75% majority of eligibles for a referendum acceptance then that ostensibly is a better choice.
3…this same Westminster system can also produce non-majority governments or coalitions …in sum an ineffectual voter decision re definitive governance by one group.
Or put another way the voice of a ‘minority’ of the electorate leading the charge.
4…and clearly referenda are used only for very monumental matters.
I see no valid reason why the bold assertion that it’s NOT part of the Westminister system is compelling … it’s a tool in the box of democracy …one that is needed sparingly and when skillfully used can be extremely effective and more definitive than the general election leadership decision.
Heather Cole
To stop the common man from being marginalized in the marijuana trade … government can issue licenses to low level cultivators first … this is a common practice in those states in the US that have decriminalized marijuana … And some states even went as far as to expunged the records of those persons who were charged with minor drug offences as it relates to the illegal sale and distribution of marijuana…
Heather Cole
Referendum is in my view is the pure form of our democracy because it gives the electorate the opportunity to make decisions regarding their lives devoid of governmental involvement … this form of government is called Participatory Democracy … you can’t ask for anything better when it comes to making decisions regarding one’s personal affairs …
Yes … we elect people in high office to make decisions on our behalf, but the legalization and cultivation of a drug which has been prohibited for more than 80 years is a very controversial decision… so government is smart enough to put the decision in the people’s hands in case things do not work out as planned …
@ Lexicon, I am all for the promised referendum. The question is when. That conference that WARU alerted us about yesterday was not by chance. There is no legislation in place yet a middle woman has publicly invited the Canadians in for talks. Have I missed an announcement? Has the turf already been divided?
“so government is smart enough to put the decision in the people’s hands in case things do not work out as planned …”
that is what govenment wants the people to believe…they already made up their minds about the shite they plan to do…and that shite involves…making sure the MAJORITY PPOPULATION DO NOT PARTAKE IN ANY WEALTH…associated with the marijuana trade…someone else said it well…they will manipulate the populi to THEIR WILL in any referenda…most people will not understand what is really going down anyway…and THEY KNOW IT..
Hopefully, now that presidents Mia and Enuff KNOW THAT WE KNOW …THEY WILL REVISE THOSE SHITE PLANS….or pay the goddamn PRICE…
De ole man, like my colleague in arms Theophillus Gazerts, realizing that I did not have much to add to this article other than a pronouncement that ” this Will end in tears”, decided to wait this out.
The outcome of people seeking market share purposely mislabelling the Medical marijuana and selling thd real thing, IS GOING TO HAVE DISASTROUS EFFECTS ON OUR SOCIETY IN YEARS TO COME
I have purposely truncated Joel 2 to write “…your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions…” because I know that, given the green of MAN, this has one outcome for the average man and woman globally
@ Ms. Heather Cole
You said and I quote
“…Decriminalization by legislation is the cheapest option which the government can put in place.
It is amazing that it is taking this cowardly drawn out approach…”
This IS NOT ENTIRELY A COWARDLY APPROACH!
Have you ever heard the words “…but the woman thou gavest me, she did ask me to eat…”?
The strategy of the Barbados government is to share the blame NOT THE MONEY!!!
ALL THE $$$ GOING TO MUGABE BRUDDAH STEWIE!!!
When the drug compounds, and the repurposed fields getting raid, under the new type of praedial larceny, and the Watchmenses now “Medicinal Facility Security Guards” getting kill pun de converted sugar plantation in the new shootouts to get product, DEN WE GOING UNDERSTAND THE WHIRLWIND WE ARE SOWING
additionally do you understand what this referendum means?
It is another process that is going to force people to provide their particulars to the Barbados Lying Party (credit to Fractured BLP for that name)
Charles Me Love You Long Time Jong going be doing a next number pun wunna
Bajans have sn attention span of 15 seconds, de ole man always remembers so I got yo remind them regularly
http://imgur.com/gallery/LOBFHiv
We have long espoused the view that this plant should have been decriminalized and that the people who were abused by irrational laws should have been granted reparations, empowerment and monopoly in the businesses that should have been spawned.
We are speaking specifically of the Rastafarian community. Our view is that nobody in the Caribbean should be allowed to mek any money from the evolving industries but Rasta!
At the same time we recognize that the abuse of any substance could be deleterious. That is as true for marijuana, as it is for certain mushrooms, Clorox, toilet bowl cleaner – all used by a similar population of consumers for their hallucinogenic affects.
But our point has always been, at its base, economic. We could never understand why we needed other peoples’ approval to do 70 years ago what the White people over-in-away have now come to realize could mek money.
If this case study does not demonstrate the true nature of the Bajan, we know not what does. It illustrates the ingrained fecklessness of the miseducated elites. People like WALTER BLACKMAN, GEORGIE PORGIE and the leading mendicants we’ve always had in guvment.
@ Heather Cole May 12, 2019 4:37 PM
“@ Peter, I totally agree. Prohibition has resulted in so many injustices in Barbadian society and a referendum to decriminalize marijuana is most likely the thing to bring change unless the government legislates the decriminalization without the referendum.
Decriminalization by legislation is the cheapest option which the government can put in place. It is amazing that it is taking this cowardly drawn out approach.
As the video shows the cultivation of marijuana has been put out of the reach of the common man in Jamaica. They are prohibited by the cost of the license and approval. My fear is that the same will occur in Barbados. One sector of the population is being taxed without adequate representation.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Was there a referendum or the people consulted when the law was passed to criminalize the use of marijuana by the ‘common’ people?
Didn’t ‘black legislators’ elected by the same common people went ahead and aped the ‘white’ countries in criminalizing users in an attempt to stigmatize and destroy the Rastafarian movement?
Why not ape the same countries which are now reversing those draconian laws now that there are ‘legal’ profits to be made from the marijuana trade as they did with slavery in the ‘West Indies’?
Do you know how many millions of profits are made the marijuana souvenirs and tee-shirt business using Bob Marley image as their pin-up model and Rasta salesman?
How about putting on the same marijuana “Referendum” ballot paper the following question:
“Should the production, importation and consumption of Alcohol be banned and treated as illegal activities”?
It seems Bajans have learnt nothing from the American experience from the era of Prohibition.
At this rate they will.. they NEVER LEARN.
Barbados is a “friend of all” ( CANADA).
CANADA has a shortage of Marijuana. Most Marijuana must be grown in Greenhouses because of winter freezing weather.
Why is Barbados not growing marijuana for export to CANADA ? The other islands in the Caribbean and some Latin American countries will soon grab the opportunity while Barbados is waiting to exhale.
In the meanwhile the Lawyering industry will continue to flourish as Bajan young men get charged fuh smoking a spliff.
Barbados…a nation of a lot of igrunt wrassewhole idiots. Note a Wrasse is a fish.
As an aside ask Bajans living in Toronto where the cassava,yams,eddoes, sweet potatoes, mangoes etc. imported to Canada coming from.
As an aside ask Bajans living in Toronto where the cassava, yams, eddoes, sweet potatoes, mangoes etc. imported to Canada coming from.(Quote)
A lime in the UK cost 30p, about Bds$1; an avocado pear cost about £2.50 (about $7.50), a mango can cost between £1 and £1.50 ($3 and $4.40) – the lists goes on.
But you miss an important point: Bajans want to be lawyers, managers, CEOs, not agricultural workers. I remember about three years ago a man trained as a plumber in Barbados gave it up to become a lawyer.
When I showed my colleagues they almost screamed. It was at a time (and still is) when , lawyers, especially barristers, were giving up the bar to work as chefs, restaurateurs, and most of all plumbers.
The average plumber in the UK earns more than the average barrister.
@Hants May 13, 2019 10:54 AM “CANADA has a shortage of Marijuana. Why is Barbados not growing marijuana for export to CANADA?”
I enjoy growing cassava. I have a couple of acres I would be happy to put into marijuana, but THEY won’t let me.
I’ve never used the thing, but i don’t eat eddoes either, but i happily grow them for other people to eat.
And just in case they still think it is a joke that will go away…
NO IT AIN”T..
https://www.facebook.com/jackie.stewart.965/videos/1027477440795128/?t=20
I love to see good reasoning. I suspect another blogger would call it good bowling.
Miller at 10:07, so sweet, it sounds like poetry.
Yep…definitely most welcome.
The Judgement by Justice Ventose is most welcome…let’s see if Barbados hardheaded, corrupt leaders…understands its connotations….or will pretend they don’t and continue to violate the constitution re the Rastafarian community because they know they have maliciously criminalized htis group for so long and know these people are unable to fight back..
“Meanwhile, the government of St Kitts and Nevis has been given a time frame as of Friday [May 3] by a High Court judge Justice Eddy Ventose to amend the drug laws in the twin-island federation after determining at least two provisions of the Drugs Act were unconstitutional concerning possession and cultivation.”
Jeff…saw a draft circulating of the St. Kitts legislation for medicinal marijuana 2019, was told it can be found on St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service website…they apparently amended the legislation allowing the Rastafarian community access to the plant for religious reasons..
@Hants
There is a simple reason why Barbados cannot export Cannabis to Canada.
Health Canada will not allow it. All LP (Licensed Producers) need a Health Canada issued permit to import Cannabis into Canada, but they are not granting it because they want to protect and develop the Canadian Cannabis cultivators. They would however happily grant export permits, which they have already done over the last few years.
Developed countries always do what they have to, to maintain the power imbalance. A global Barbados cannabis industry is pure fantasy and a pipe-dream, We are too late to the game
When all is said and done, I will grow my own. In Canada we are allowed to grow four plants for our consumption. Since i only use it for tea for arthritis, one is enough. My one for this year is already under a grow lamp. it is about 4 inches tall. i will transplant it to a pot, so that if we have early frost, it can be moved indoors. i have in my cupboard 40ml of MedReleaf;
-THC:1.43mg/ml; CBD: 22.79 mg/ml. All legally obtained through the medical marijuana law. Thanks Canada.
“-THC:1.43mg/ml; CBD: 22.79 mg/ml. All legally obtained through the medical marijuana law. Thanks Canada.”
You go girl, forward thinking progressive countries that have leaders with vision, always move forward and take the people with them to growth and prosperity.
backward, barbaric leaders, always do the opposite…