Weed will be legal in Belize! OK wah lee bit

[belizean]

House Meeting History: Small Amounts of Marijuana Decriminalized
posted (August 18, 2017) ch7 Belize


History was made at the House Meeting in Belmopan today when the bill to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana was introduced. Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Elrington bought it to the house for the first reading:..
Hon. Wilfred Elrington - UDP Area Rep.
"To decriminalize the possession of cannabis in amounts not exceeding ten grams. To provide for the imposition of monetary and non-recordable penalties for the possession of cannabis in such amounts occurring on school premises in specified circumstances, to decriminalize the smoking of cannabis in private premises and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. This bill has long been in gestation. I think it is recognized by members on both sides of this House that the present regime which we have dealing with marijuana is not equitable. As a matter of fact, it is viewed that it is unduly prejudicial, particularly to the poorer members of our society, who for one reason or the other use marijuana in smaller quantities and this is a small step towards ameliorating what we consider to be an injustice over the years perpetrated against our people."

This was just the first reading, so there was no debate and, it is not the law at this time. It will now go back to committee for consideration and public consultation, and will be brought back to the house for the second and third reading. After that, the bill will be taken to the Senate for passage - and it can only become law after that - a process that will take a few months.

 

[belizean]

”Weedists” Celebrate, Evangelicals Lament, GOB Calls It Progress
posted (August 18, 2017)
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And while tonight "weedists" all over Belize are celebrating, evangelical church leaders are lamenting, and we'll have their points and counterpoints for you later on in the news. But for the Barrow Administration, they are taking it as a progressive and worthwhile step forward. The Prime Minister explained:...
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"I feel both as a matter of conviction that it is something good to do, but also that as a society as a whole will support it."

Jules Vasquez - Reporter
"Sir, the most cynical interpretation will be that, well, there is an election in a few months and the UDP has had this on the backburner for some while but your government brought it to the front burner to give it a little boost for the elections since you don't have a lot of money to spread around."

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow- Prime Minister
"No, I don't think it's that sort of an issue that will make any material difference to the election. Certainly, that was not the reason."

Jules Vasquez - Reporter
"Will there be a public awareness campaign to sort of tell people, it's not to say you can smoke marijuana publicly."

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"There will have to be because I gather that already on the talk shows the level of, not ignorance, perhaps, wishful thinking is amazing so we will have to let people know that basically, we are creeping before we walk and so it doesn't go nearly as far as I am sure a lot of people will like. So you are perfectly correct there will have to be some sort of education campaign."

Later on we'll have the views of the Council of Churches, and the National Evangelical Association, and well as weed advocate Pulu Lightburn plus you'll see the Prime Minister and Plus TV's Luis Wade clash on the subject.