‘We have not been consulted by govt on marijuana legislation’

High Priest Rithmond McKinney.

As of Friday, June 24, 2022

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

HIGH priest Rithmond McKinney said the Davis administration has not consulted with his community regarding their sacramental rights as officials move to finalise legislation that will regulate medical cannabis and industrial hemp industries.

In the Senate on Wednesday, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said the Davis administration intended to advance comprehensive legislation to regulate a medical cannabis industry and a separate framework for industrial hemp.

“We will advance a comprehensive suite of legislation on the regulation of cannabis, creating a new agribusiness industry in The Bahamas,” Mr Pinder said yesterday. “This legislation is internationally benchmarked against the countries around the world that are in this industry.

In response, high priest McKinney, of the local Rastafarian Bobo Shanti Tribe, said while this was a step in the right direction, the community remained hopeful that the government would come to the table to discuss the matter.

“Well we didn’t hear anything about our sacramental rights and I didn’t hear nothing concerning the rasta man and the rasta man Constitutional rights towards their sacrament,” he told The Tribune in an interview yesterday.

He also hopes the Davis administration will uphold recommendations made by the previous administration’s Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana.

“Well I hope that this administration has something to talk to us about, concerning how best they could work it out concerning our sacrament,” he said.

“So, we still are hoping to hear from them and see how best something can work out for the Rastafarian community. We were hoping to hear something concerning our sacramental rights and how they would go forward with implementing in our community, but, so far we still have hopes that something can be worked out.”

When asked by The Tribune, whether he was satisfied with the pace of the process, he said he is thankful that things are moving in the right direction, adding that it was something that could be used by all people.

“It’s a positive step in the right direction concerning marijuana. But the same time they can’t forget about fundamental constitutional rights as Rastafarians,” he said.

While there is no definite timeline for the proposed legislation, the attorney general has previously marked the end of summer as the timeframe for conclusion of the legislation.

bahamianson 2 years, 5 months ago

Why does the government have to consult with you?

JokeyJack 2 years, 5 months ago

What about airline flight regulations? Shoukd pilots be consulted? Medical regulations? Should doctors be consulted? Or is Cabinet simply all wise and all knowing?

ThisIsOurs 2 years, 5 months ago

Examine what happened with the gaming industry.

They USED and riled a bunch of poor some unemployed black Bahamians, waved tshirts and dollar bills in front of their eyes, had them march up and down Bay St talking about jobs and opportunities lost and all the money that poor people would make. The industry was legalized and all the poor black Bahamians had to show for their effort was sunburn.

The men then lobbied to shut the door so noone else could get in and they raped and plundered poor communities with their money extraction depots on every street corner.

That's what will happen for marijuana.

They already got you to make the noise they needed to at the town meetings. Your usefulness is over. Is their time now. Your only job now is to squander the little money you have on their new money extraction depots.

carltonr61 2 years, 5 months ago

The Rastafarian as the sole pro Marijuana organization surely were singled out for the past 60 years and bore the brunt of human rights brutality. However, the massive Cannibas use, billions in profits, deaths and structures of land, sea and air international pipelines reach far beyond the minuscule potential if the Rasta. They were the little religious, crime and social go to anti Marijuana, negative propergander stigmaization scapegoats. This prevailing attitude on made Marijuana appeared dangerous. But now to suddenly come out of the dark ages into profit inspiring enlightenment, that suddenly, it could be legalized and to also compete with synthetic health pharmaceuticals and also adults not having to look over their shoulders is a great, new day.