By: Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Saturday 28th April,2018)– Citizens and residents who believe that marijuana should be decriminalised and or legalised do not share the same view point as Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr. Timothy Harris who says he does not care about the calls for such at this time as it relates to the Federation of St.Kitts-Nevis.
“Ah don’t care how much herb they call it, ah done care what healing property they say they have…”
So said Dr. Harris in part while giving his presentation at the opening ceremony of the Forensic Lab housed on the premises of the Tabernacle Police Station held yesterday (Friday).
“The debate that is now going on about the legalising of marijuana, a lot of reckless statements are being made. For you the mothers, the fathers and the adults, you have to stand firm on a point of principle. For all your years you look around the community and you see what is happening and you see who is smoking and you see what is happening to them. You see your children who they have fix up and mix up in marijuana and hard drug substance and as bright as they shone and their future prospects was encouraging, almost by osmosis their lives have been shattered. What greater evidence do you need that what you confront every day? What smart man or smart woman could convince you?”
The Minister of National Security continued: “When you pass on the streets, you hear the conduct, you see how they blow their smoke without regard for pastor, lawyer or doctor passing and you wonder what will happen if we were to legalise this. You must wonder that when you hear people begin to talk about legalising the thing man, free up the herb, you have to wonder what will become of our society. It is not everything that is done elsewhere will be suited for our own country and society.
“The time may well come but is the time now and so we have to examine all these things because these are part of the challenges our young people are facing in primary schools where people are making them sellers of drugs; that is what is happening and in their homes, their mothers and their fathers are smoking it, in their homes they have guns and we know it and we keep silent about it until some young person dies and then we have the tears; tears that we need not to allow to come to the fore. If you see something say something; protect the young people. Do not introduce them to no kind of marijuana!” he added.
This reporter who was in attendance at the event observed that one member of the audience verbally objected twice during Harris’ presentation asking out loud “Wha happen to cigarette?” and “What about de alcohol?”
PM Harris told that he does not care about the healing property and how much marijuana is referred to as herb.
“Ah don’t care how much herb they call it, ah done care what healing property they say they have, protect them it and protect them from the alcohol and say no to that too. These are part of the negative growth which if we are not careful to speak out about, the minority will get action on the things that they want and I now saying that some people now will make it now the talk of the town but I’m saying it to the country to protect the young people of this land that I love.”
Controversially, as gathered from public feedback, Dr. Harris’ statement has called into question the purpose of the newly-established local marijuana Commission- headed by the Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hazel Laws- that is in the process of conducting town hall meetings around the island.