Wrong move

The decision of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) to suspend its general secretary who is facing a drug charge, has not gone down well with party member and former government minister Hamilton Lashley.

He told Barbados TODAY that by suspending Kemar Stuart, who recently appeared in court charged with marijuana possession, the party was sending a message to the public that the 25-year-old might be guilty of the offence even though it had not been proven in the court. Lashley said the move could also hurt the young man’s political career.

“I believe this is a wrong decision by the Democratic Labour Party and he should return to his substantive post as the general secretary of the Democratic Labour Party. And how long has he been suspended for? I don’t know if it is an indefinite period of time, but I think it is wrong,” he said.

“And I think a lot of it is politically motivated too. I want to know why is this happening at this time when there is a by-election happening in St George North? He lives in St George North also, so I want to know if there is more in the mortar than the pestle.”

Stuart was elected the DLP’s general secretary at the party’s annual conference late last month, and less than two weeks later, appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court for possession of a quantity of marijuana.

However, Lashley, who has for many years advocated for the decriminalisation of marijuana, argued that the charges should be dropped against Stuart, in light of the fact that the Mia Mottley administration plans to amend the country’s Drug Abuse (Prevention and Control) Act, as disclosed by Governor General Dame Sandra Mason during her Throne Speech last month.

Under the amended legislation, possession of 14 grammes, or half an ounce, or less of cannabis would no longer be an offence for which a person can be arrested, charged and tried, and would therefore not result in an appearance before the Magistrates’ Court or in a criminal record.

Against that background, Lashley questioned why Stuart was removed from his position.

“Suspending him is wrong because it is totally contradictory [to]  the fact that you are saying that it is no longer an offence to have small quantities of marijuana. I am calling for an expulsion of the record of all persons in the past who have been convicted for small quantities of marijuana,” he said.

“In Kemar’s case, he has become an unfortunate political victim and I am hoping that he will be able to continue practising what he does and this does not hinder his political career, knowing Barbados is a very unforgiving society once you have a criminal record.”

Barbados TODAY’s efforts to reach DLP president Verla DePeiza to respond to Lashley’s comments were unsuccessful.

However, on Monday when contacted by Barbados TODAY, she had assured Stuart of her party’s support and said the DLP would not be leaving him “out to dry”. (anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb)