Basseterre to delete criminal records for small amounts of marijuana

KITTITIANS AND NEVISIANS WILL HAVE THEIR CRIMINAL RECORDS for small amounts of marijuana deleted, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Garth Wilkin announced.

“In relation to the marijuana issue there are a couple of approaches that we are taking: First of all, we are expanding the Criminal Records Rehabilitation of Offenders’ Act to cover most minor criminal offenses. Also, those persons who were convicted in the past for minor marijuana offenses can proceed with their lives,” is how AG Wilkin explained his government’s position.

Om the issue of medical cannabis, Wilkin said the Medical Cannabis Authority is currently engaging his office and the Ministry of Agriculture to amend the Cannabis Act among other critically important issues.

“Not only are we doing this, but the medical cannabis authority leadership is discussing with the ministry of agriculture and the attorney general chambers (about) amending the cannabis act which governs the medical stream very soon. There are three other matters that we are addressing to the marijuana issue because we have to look at it holistically,”; AG Wilkin disclosed.

Referring to a recent High Court decision, the AG said a place for worship will be identified through legislations. This, he explained will address pivotal issues affecting the Rastafarian community about where they can practice and engage in their ‘religious’ practices regarding marijuana.

“What we are doing is finally bringing effect to the decisions that were made in the Sanko case by creating a Rastafarian place of worship legislations to bring effect to the statements and judgments that were made with regards to the religious right to practice the sacraments in Rastafarianism. We are going to legitimise that and allow the Rastafarian communities who have their designated places of worship where they can participate in their sacrament fully,” he promised.

The AG chambers will also explore public health issues tied to smoking cannabis in public.  Wilkin has already begun holding talks with the minister of Tourism and Entertainment in advancing their views.

“In that regard we are also looking at the public health aspect of that regard and we are going to create a public health smoking in public legislation. We have discussed with the ministers of tourism and entertainment where they can be designated areas for smoking at events at social establishments,” AG Wilkin said

Those designated areas would ensure that both sides of the divide are satisfied, thus affording smokers and non-smokers equal opportunity to enjoy themselves at events and functions undisturbed.

“Persons who just don’t want to participate or have their health might be affected by smoking in whatever way they can have their section. The persons who want to smoke recreationally will have their section, and it just wouldn’t be cannabis it would be all smoke,” he explained.

Declaring that the public will see their constitutional right respected to cultivate and smoke marijuana in the privacy of their hoes, the AG referenced a report that was released in 2019 which pointed to the fact that being denied the opportunity to smoke and cultivate a certain amount has been deemed unconstitutional.

“We are going to bring into force the constitutional right to cultivate marijuana in the privacy of your home. The national cannabis authority in 2019 in their report identified one of its recommendations was that persons must be allowed to cultivate marijuana trees in the privacy of their homes.”

“In the Sanko decision it was found that the legislation prohibiting completely the cultivation (of marijuana) was unconstitutional. It noted that persons should be allowed in the privacy of their own home to smoke and in the privacy of their own home to cultivate a certain amount. We are going to bring life by way of legislation to that ruling of the court,” AG Wilkin assured.