High Priest Rithmond McKinney.
By PAVEL BAILEY
A LOCAL Rastafarian leader said while he has not yet met with any Davis administration official regarding cannabis legislation, he is hopeful his community’s sacramental rights will be given legal protection.
Rithmond McKinney, high priest of the local Rastafarian Bobo Shati Tribe, spoke with The Tribune on whether the new administration had officially consulted his community while drafting its new marijuana legislation.
Mr McKinney said he has not yet had any formal contact with the government regarding this matter, but hopes the Davis administration will uphold recommendations made by the previous administration’s Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana.
“One of those recommendations was the Rasta man’s sacramental rights, well seeing that they are out of power now I was hoping that this administration (would do) the right thing also,” he said.
“But me and a few of us will be checking (with) this new administration next weekend, (to) try to have a dialogue with them going forward, seeing that they said they want it done within the first quarter of this year. And when this administration was in a position, they did declare that they didn’t see nothing wrong with the Rasta man getting their sacramental rights, so I hope they do the right thing this time.”
He also voiced his support for the current administration by saying that he believes that the Davis administration will be more sympathetic to their sacramental rights and factor in their need to have a stake in the proposed cannabis industry.
“I don’t think they will discriminate against our sacramental rights, which is a constitutional right. . .(We hope they take into consideration) the recommendation from the commission concerning the Rasta man’s sacramental rights and also the Rasta man wants a stake within the industrial part of it different from the sacramental rights. We want a stake within the industrial part of it also.”
Mr McKinney said his community wants a part of “all of the licences going forward” regarding the proposed cannabis industry and should be given licences to cultivate, manufacture and export the drug.
He also pointed out that it was his community that first saw the potential in the cannabis industry and that they faced years of hardship and discrimination campaigning for its legalisation while the country suffered as a result.
“As you know the Rasta man was taking the abuse. Our life was being denied over the years. The Rasta man was the one who was being profiled and we were the one that was saying that this is a medicine, that this is something good for even finance and stability in our country also. And from a medical point of view, we’ve always been the ones saying that this is something that the government should need to look into. Seeing that other parts of the Caribbean have already gone ahead; we are far behind.”
While the Rastafarian community still faces ongoing legal changes to have the criminal records of its members expunged for what they believe are wrongful cannabis convictions, Mr McKinney called on the Bahamian government to do what is right not only for his community, but the country at large.
“I think this administration is on the right track, I think they can do the right thing and I think the marijuana legislation should be where all the stakeholders who want to be a part of it can. I think this government will do the right thing and I’m looking forward to it.’
Last week, Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister Latrae Rahming announced that the Davis administration is expected to introduce legislation for a cannabis industry in the first quarter of this year.
Comments
carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago
Marijuana, a natural source of cannibinoids also produced in the body and in the lab affects mode and balance. Persons with an offset of dopamine or serotonin production could get a boost to mental heath. However evidence displayed that Marijuana crosses the placental wall into the embryo thus impacting infant birth weight, memory, attention span and reactions. The same goes to the mind and brain still maturing up to age 25 regarding not taking life serious, memory and concentration. Individuals who which to quit Marijuana use after years soon find out the DSM-5 criteria of encountering up to four hurdles. Inability to remain off it and sleep properly. Also readjusting to social activity that does not include Marijuana presents. Marijuana is good for chronic pin as evidence show in the correct low/high THC/CBC ratio, lightly inhaled with the greatest bioavailability after 15 minutes then oozing off up to 3 to six hours depending on tolerance. An overdose of THC could result in panic attacks which wears off. In low doses it prevents schizophrenia in high THC it could trigger it in families susceptible to it.
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 10 months ago
Not a proponent of this industry, like gaming I believe it will do tremendous harm and like gaming I believe it will have ZERO positive impact on the lives of persons in the community. Many mothers will curse the day they legalized marijuana and will tell the tale of their child who never abused substances but got hooked as a result. The owners will rake in billions and will donate 200,000 or so to addiction prevention
And then youll have the theft from marijuana fields and the subsequent gang wars that erupt. Unlike the US and Canada where the fields are in remote secret locations to limit this occurrence, our marijuana wars will play out next to schools and churches.
The economy of this country is not for the poor. Sorry. They will produce all sorts of regulations to ensure you cant enter. Then they will place a moratorium on the industry to protect the investment of the owners
All for the love of money
That's my vision based on the present
carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago
There is little evidence based data to prove religiously, medically, legally, socially or otherwise that Marijuana is harmful. The evidence data is all we have. The stigma associated with social fear of it as evil has not been evidenced by any profession. It is wrongly associated with a host of behaviors as the easy culprit while studies and data show otherwise. Gambling is universally compared to cocaine in all aspects of personal and social harms. It was weird that our most prominent senior psychology guru was silent about its detrimental evidence based destructive qualities. Maybe money buys silence. Rather than making unhistorical assumptions about Cannibas, just study international journals. The globe has been wrong about it for decades and is revisiting the cost of prohibition. Our moral and spiritual Police as in USA has found that ending war on Marijuana has freed up money and manpower toward crime fighting. In all of Canada and many states in the USA legal Marijuana does not result in personal convictions being swayed. The choice is yours.
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 10 months ago
Marijuana is a chemical... it interacts with your body and every "body has a different chemical makeup. There are many studies that refer to the negative impact of legal chemicals. They just released one on the dangerous effects of wine consumption and the mistaken belief that drinking wine is "good" for you. We saw this movie already.
carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago
According to history the prohibition of alcohol in the USA produced the powerful gangsters and corruptors of governments. The legalization and taxation controls brought down the gangster empires. It was the only way to stop gangland murder that we see today upon our church steps. Something has to be done to solve this problem as other nations have done. To just hate something as an act of aggression and be prejudicial infringing on others rights for the sake of forced Christianity has lead to was and innumerable deaths. More revenue was earned through taxation than spent on imprisoning a million fold. Saturation as is The Bahamas' current position as the rest of the world cannot be controlled ruled by street laws. Is it a failure of Christianity that prostitution is prohibited yet a thousand cuts are bought and sold every hour, in silence the devil is there. If a cry goes out to regulate it then screams of hysteria will ring around the world to almighty heaven. These mighty warriors need to get of their high thrones and get dirty in this war to help and assist through education. Marijuana and prostitution ain't going anywhere even as their bodies, minds, eyes, ears hear nothing. Jesus ate with the tax collectors. He was real.
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 10 months ago
Someone told me recently that they dont believe in Christianity because of all the harm religion has caused. I responded to them that good things have been misused for decades to cause harm. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the marijuana plant,it was a perfect design. I could imagine living in an age with no pain medication and getting a broken leg... some marijuana leaf would do great! The harm is in the misuse, not the leaf. Time will tell,one side will be right and one will be wrong for the Bahamas' sake I hope youre the one who's right.
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