The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrrolle@tribunemedia.net

RASTAFARIAN Priest Rithmond McKinney said he is confident the Davis administration will amend its draft cannabis legislation to create a regime more accommodating to the practices of local Rastafarians.

He said Attorney General Ryan Pinder told him a new round of consultations on draft cannabis bills released in August should begin next week.

Priest McKinney, the primary person from the Rastafarian community consulting the government, spoke to reporters after an event at the Superclubs Breezes resort last night. The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources hosted the event –– a discussion about cannabis in the region –– as part of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture.

Several Rastafarians attended the forum and shared their concerns about the draft cannabis bills.

The legislation would let Rastafarian organisations get a religious use licence to distribute cannabis to members as a sacrament.

The substance, however, could only be used on the premises for which the licence or exempt event permit is issued.

People with a religious use licence could apply for a cultivation licence. They would have to outline the total surface area where the budding or flowering cannabis plants must be contained, an area not exceeding 538 square feet. They could also secure an exempt event permit to worship or fellowship at a specified public place. The permit would allow a licensee to transport no more than 14 grams of cannabis to a public place.

Rastafarians said most practitioners are part of the Bobo Ashanti, a mansion that does not use cannabis in tabernacles.

“The government is still finding out exactly how the rasta man uses the cannabis,” Priest McKinney said.

He said he had told government officials it would be unacceptable to limit them to using cannabis only in tabernacles.

“They definitely decide to change that, of course,” he said. “So that’s not a problem right now.”

He said his community wants to be involved in the manufacture and cultivation elements of the cannabis industry.

Under the proposed legislation, only people who have never been convicted of an offence under the Dangerous Drugs Act, the Proceeds of Crime Act, or the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation Act) would be eligible for a licence.

One Rastafarian last night said this provision would exempt the people who are most experienced with the substance, given that many of them have faced cannabis-related charges before. He said the provision is unfair.

Deon Gibson, a consultant agriculturist in the Department of Agriculture, revealed that the government had allocated land to cultivate cannabis. He declined to give further details.

Agriculture and Marine Science Minister Jomo Campbell declined to discuss how much land had been allocated for this purpose.