The Tribune

By INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’ ZENICAZELAYA

WHILE appearing as a guest on the talk show “Political Review” with host Quincy Parker, last Sunday on Guardian Radio, Attorney General Carl Bethel said he will not support the legalisation or decriminalisation of marijuana in The Bahamas.

He also reiterated that, as long as it is still criminalised by the U.S. Federal Government, his position would not change on legalising it here in the Bahamas.

Boy, that recent town hall meeting on the legalisation and decriminalisation of marijuana, has certainly caused quite a “buzz”.

(Pun intended)

Bethel further stated -

“This administration does not yet have an official position on it.”

“It is a matter that no doubt we will focus on. We are very smart people.

“We don’t take foolish risks.

“We went through a terrible period in the 1980s when we were besmirched by endemic drug trafficking.”

“All drugs, including marijuana, remain criminalised, fully criminalised, under Federal United States law. We are on their border.

Jamaica doesn’t have the luxury of being on their border, neither does anywhere else in CARICOM. The Bahamas is on their border.”

Translated from “FNMeese” into “Bahamaneese” :

“Hold tight, we ain’ on dat run right now.

We trying to make this CARICOM t’ing run smooth.

True in how, we ain’ tryin’ to run Trump hot and have a wibe wit’ him.”

“So take ya time, more times for that still. We ga work it out in a minute.”

Do you also ask “Uncle Sam” to go “potty” Mr. Bethel?

Obviously it appears, you and the FNM must.

Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, the head of the CARICOM Regional Commission on Marijuana, stated, that the strongest view expressed throughout the Caribbean regarding marijuana is that it ought to be decriminalised or legalised.

Policy

Instead of addressing the topic objectively and diplomatically, Mr Bethel chose to pay homage to the recent actions of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions instead. Sessions recently discontinued the Obama-administration’s policy that eased enforcement of federal marijuana laws.

Clearly this FNM administration admires any form of “stop, review and cancel”.

Bahamians, regardless of political affiliation, must be aware of how the FNM is trying to mirror the positions of the Trump administration.

From fake news, to immigrants, to foreign investment, to legalisation of marijuana and so on and so on.

It seems the FNM is on a mission, to completely become the Trump administration’s “tropical doppelgängers”.

Expect the “legalisation” talks to go the same route as the freedom of information act (FOIA), the Spy Bill, VAT exemption on bread basket items, tax free zones over the hill, etc.

Sadly in their haste to imitate the Trump administration, the FNM has failed to realise that with their most recent insensitive actions, and numerous failures to deliver on campaign promises, they appear more like the past PLP administration’s twin, separated at birth.