fbpx
Late-season cold front to bring showers and isolated thunderstorms entering weekend
April 8, 2022
BREAKING: Man shot and killed in Mahogany Heights
April 8, 2022

Former PM Dean Barrow, Lord Ashcroft among prominent names to support a referendum on marijuana legalization

Posted: Friday, April 8, 2022. 9:15 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: Former Prime Minister Dean Barrow and his former legal client, Lord Michael Ashcroft, are among the prominent names to publicly support a referendum on legalization of marijuana and regulation of associated business.

On Thursday, church spokespersons circulated a picture of a petition letter with Barrow’s signature (helpfully compared by one of our media colleagues with his official signature on other documentation) and he confirmed it in a Channel 7 News interview.

Ashcroft, for his part, tweeted his support directly at Breaking Belize News’ Twitter handle, stating, “@belizemedia I agree with former Prime Minister Dean Barrow and will be signing the petition for a referendum on the issue…” along with a link to the Channel 7 story.

It has been noted that this legislation concerning legalization was a goal of the People’s United Party before they took office – mentioned, for example, by leader John Briceno during at least one Budget Debate and at the debate over the amendment of the Misuse of Drugs Act to decriminalize possession of 10 grams and less of marijuana.

The question becomes, with such legislation all but a formality from two years ago and practically on the eve of the Bill(s) having gone through all stages to become law, why now are these “concerned” groups choosing to raise the issue of a referendum?

Barrow, whose administration came up with the decriminalization idea, first of all told Channel 7’s Daniel Ortiz that he was persuaded by principal of St Catherine Academy Salome Tillett – the school his daughter Salima attends and will be graduating from in May – to sign and express support for having a referendum. The principal, who was speaking at a parent-teacher meeting, he said, made plain that it would stop there: “People who sign the petition for the referendum must not be taken as saying that when that referendum comes, we will vote no to legalization. All she, the churches, the unions, and the social partners are saying is, let us have a referendum so that the government can see how the people feel about this. And until that determination is made, don’t sign the bill into law.”

Barrow admitted that though his reasons may be different from those of the aforementioned opponents, he does not believe full legalization of marijuana should be attempted at this time. He cites marketing for export purposes, noting that the United States, usually the biggest market, has not legalized marijuana at the federal level, and that states that have done so such as Colorado are running into banking issues which are keeping the trade underground. Any thought of making marijuana or cannabis and hemp products an export on par with sugar, citrus and bananas, he suggested, would not be countenanced by American or other authorities.

It is also noteworthy that Ashcroft is in support of at least a referendum and in agreement with Barrow, being the largest shareholder in both the Belize Bank Limited and the former ScotiaBank Belize.

The churches are targeting a minimum of 18,669 signatures countrywide in the coming days even as the bills are scheduled to be signed into law by the start of next week. 

 

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-601-0315.

 

© 2022, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.

Comments

  • Galen University
  • Belmopan Aggregates
  • larry waight
  • Belmopan Aggregates
  • cahal pech village resort
  • Galen University
  • Shindaiwa
  • Belmopan Aggregates