BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH the debate continuing over whether or not the use of marijuana should be decriminalised in St. Kitts and Nevis, Leader of the Federal Opposition Dr. the Rt. Hon. Denzil Douglas has thrown his support behind having it done for use in small portions.
That statement comes against the backdrop of Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Timothy Harris publically speaking out against having it decriminalised without proper public consultation.
“We are part of that body of views and policies, where there has to be again, open discussions on this matter. We believe that the time has come for decriminalisation of marijuana use, of course in limited quantities,” Dr. Douglas recently expressed while on his weekly radio programme on KYSSFM ‘Ask the Leader’.
Many members of civil society have charged that too many youths within St. Kitts and Nevis are being found with varying quantities of the illegal plant.
Many of them have been taken before the courts and charged with possession, cultivation and intent to supply.
The former Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, opined that too many of the youths have criminal records because they are found with small amounts marijuana. Thus, he believes that it should be removed from their records when decriminalisation takes place.
“We believe that they should be expunged from the records of those who have been offenders, and those charged, tried and sentenced by the court. We believe again that based on the quantity, it should be expunged from people’s records. Because we see this more as a medical issue rather than a criminal issue at this point in our development.”
The Labour Party Leader has the support from the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) leader and former Premier of Nevis, Joseph Parry, on the decrinimalisation issue.
Parry has been very vocal in his call to have it decriminalised, and the NRP has started consultations in this regard. The NRP has expressed its intention of moving towards decriminalisation if it wins the 2018 local elections in Nevis.
However, there has been some push back from a member of the Federal Government on who has the power to decriminalise marijuana at the local level.
