The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE BAHAMAS National Commission on Marijuana has requested another deadline extension, but hopes this time a report can be submitted before the end of November.

According to Quinn McCartney, commission co-chair, the delay is a result of a “late” trip to Jamaica and officials also organising a visit to Canada.

While the trip to Canada is in November, Mr McCartney said the commission will not delay past that month, even if it means submitting a preliminary report that has to later be supported by a supplemental report.

The group was initially expected to hand over a report with its findings in April, but received extensions, ultimately placing the new timeline at October 31.

Mr McCartney said yesterday: “Because of our late trip to Jamaica, and we are still organising and trying to make our trip to Canada, not that it will hold up the report but we just think it would be advantageous to make that trip.

“We wanted to do the trip to Jamaica definitely because it’s in the region because the laws are similar to ours and because of what they’ve done. We definitely wanted to make that trip so that was done in early October and so we wanted to do that.

“So having come back and done that, that’s going to delay us a bit, but we are also trying to organise a trip to Canada.

“We wanted to do that trip to Canada because again it’s in certainly in North America (and) it’s the first country to do it federally in the western hemisphere and so we wanted to just see how they went about the process.”

He continued: “So that will definitely cause us to (ask for extension). We have spoken to the minister and we certainly are asking for a slight delay beyond the October deadline.

“We are certainly not trying to let this go beyond November for sure and even if we just have to give a preliminary report and come back with a supplemental report at a later date.

“So let’s just say Canada doesn’t come off until like mid-November, we won’t delay because of the trip to Canada.”

Mr McCartney said following the trip to Jamaica, there are some elements of marijuana decriminalisation implemented there that the commission does support.

However, when the report is submitted, they hope it adequately reflects the views of Bahamians while providing recommendations that work in the best interest of the country.

“The main mission of our commission was to find out the views of the Bahamian public. Although we have not been as comprehensive as we would have liked in touching more people, we certainly had town hall meetings, a few stakeholder meetings and we’ve done walkabouts in several communities trying to gather the feel.

“There seems to be a consensus toward some of the things that they have done in Jamaica and so what we want to do is reflect what the Bahamian public wants but give our recommendations in terms of research based on best practises.

“So it’ll certainly outline what members of the public feel but look at what’s happening in other jurisdictions. We want to provide recommendations in the best interest of the public.

“We will give the positives and negatives. We won’t lean in any particular direction. At this stage we are stressing and trying to get all the pieces together,” Mr McCartney said yesterday.