Redeem us

Any discussion regarding the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes, must begin with an apology to the Rastafarian community for the injustices suffered for many decades because of their use of the plant.

This point was made clear by spokesperson for the Ichirouganaim Council, Adonijah, who contended that some reparations element for the Rastafarian community must be incorporated in the Medical Cannabis Industry Bill 2019.

“It is our view that the bill or any other must be fixed within the context of reparatory justice. By this I mean that Government needs to acknowledge the injustices and atrocities, including death, that Rastafari has endured for this same cannabis plant that is now being seen as a huge financial opportunity. The leaders of Antigua and St Vincent have been commendable in issuing apologies to the Rastafarian communities in their countries for the human rights violations that they have endured. We have had nothing of the kind in Barbados,” said Adonijah, who was presenting before the Joint Select Committee on the Medical Cannabis Industry Bill at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Tuesday.

He argued that in St Vincent and the Grenadines and Antigua, the Rastafarian community is not required to pay for licences, which could range from $2500 for traditional farmers to $100,000 for commercial licences. He therefore called on Government to make the same allowances for the Barbadian Rastafarian community.

“These two leaders have demonstrated reparatory justice through ensuring that Rastafarian farmers do not have to pay for licences to cultivate cannabis, they simply have to register, and this is the policy that we are calling on Government to adopt. We have suffered enough, and this must be addressed,” he said.

In his presentation, Adonijah complained that the Bill in its current state appears to fit the proposed marijuana industry in the mould of the plantocracy.

“While we welcome inclusion on this Bill, we find that it has echoes of the plantation. If we go by the experiences of our neighbours, licences would be prohibitively expensive, placing those with access to large sums of money at a distinct advantage and we are very aware of the tier system proposed. We see clearly that this Government’s interest is in monetizing cannabis. If the plan is to produce pills and capsules, then that is fine for those who want that but we are not interested in the putting in and taking out of the elements of cannabis,” he stressed. colvillemousney@barbadostoday.bb