Cabinet will take a day to discuss, among other things, the marijuana issue, Press Secretary Anthony “Ace” Newbold said.
“The prime minister has committed to taking a day for his Cabinet to talk about several issues, the whole issue of marijuana is one of them, in Cabinet,” Newbold said during his weekly press briefing on Tuesday.
“They will spend a day discussing that.
“[They will] have that discussion before any other movement is made with respect to that. The prime minister says always, and he continues to emphasize this, that whatever happens the Bahamian people must have a say in whatever that final determination is.
“It will be made after the Bahamian people have had an opportunity to weigh in extensively on that issue, just like any other.”
CARICOM’s Regional Commission on Marijuana held a town meeting last week to learn the views of Bahamians on decriminalizing marijuana.
The majority of people who spoke at the town meeting were in support of the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana in The Bahamas.
The meeting was part of the commission’s mandate to ascertain public opinion in CARICOM member countries on the issue.
Newbold said Minnis has not yet indicated his personal view on the issue.
Newbold added that there would likely be more town hall meetings where this issue will arise.
“One of the obligations that all members of Parliament have is you have to have town meetings every month,” he said.
“So I imagine in the course of those town meetings…they will hear a lot about how people feel about what is happening in the country.”
Bahamas Christian Council President Bishop Delton Fernander said the BCC is formulating a position on the matter.
credit:thenassauguardian.com