Leader of the Opposition in St. Kitts and Nevis the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas is demanding that the Team Unity Government of Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris completes the legislative process to put into force the Integrity in Public Life Act.
Dr. Douglas said the Parliamentary Opposition will give support to the Integrity in Public Life Act, already passed by his administration in 2013 and the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill as promised by the Team Unity Government within 100 days on taking office in February 2015.
“We successfully passed the Integrity in Public Life Act. There were some concerns with regard to the operationalisation of this particular Act. The Government of the day while in opposition, was very vocal that it will in the first 100 days, bring life to this Act which was already passed in our Parliament. Today we do not have it. We therefore as opposition members in the Parliament, say clearly to the Government and to the citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis that we are willing to lend our support,” said Dr. Douglas on his weekly radio programme “Ask the Leader” on Kyss 102.5 FM.
“In fact, I want to use this medium and say we demand that this piece of legislation be operationalised. We challenge the government to bring it to the parliament. We demand that be brought now. We also demand that the Freedom of Information Act be brought to our parliament and are prepared to demonstrate our demand by going to the streets next week Friday and demonstrate to the citizens of the country and the world that we demand that the government bring to the parliament and to full operationalisation the Freedom of Information Act, the Integrity in Public Life Act and also if possible the marijuana or ganja bill which we believe should be debated in the parliament of our country with regard to the future thinking of the citizens of this country and the government on the use of marijuana here in St. Kitts and Nevis,” said the former prime minister.
He said there are several reasons for the application of marijuana medicinally and the time had come for a debate in the National Assembly on the decriminalisation of marijuana use in particular.
Dr. Douglas said users on marijuana should not be treated as criminals.
In response to the caller, Dr. Douglas said while in government he opposed the legalisation of marijuana, but the time had come to begin the discussion to arrive at a position after full consultation with all the stakeholders.
“I said clearly that I supported the initiative that was being pursued in Jamaica and in other Caribbean islands,” said Dr. Douglas.
He recalled that in the run up to the February 2015 General Elections, he had promised once re-elected his new government would begin the debate on the use of marijuana in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“I did say and still say that from my own medical training the abuse of marijuana can lead to and has led to and from cases I have seen myself, the unmasking of certain mental illnesses, schizophrenia is one of them. I am unmoved in my position on that. The use and abuse of marijuana has unmasked a number of mental illnesses,” said Dr. Douglas, who added: “That is not in conflict of what I am saying today.”
“The time has come in our country for the Government with the support of the Opposition and the people and all stakeholders to begin a lively debate with regard to the use of marijuana. The quantifiable amounts that would lead to criminalization and the quantifiable amounts that would be treated as a decriminalized situation and also to ensure that the criminal and police records of thiose who have been in conflict with the law as it is with regard to the use of marijuana that such records be reflective of decriminalization rather than having people labeled as criminals and unable
“The Opposition awaits the first move by Government to bring this matter to the public for debate, and to the Parliament after discussion, debate and studies so that the parliamentarians and lawmakers will be able to frame the appropriate legislation that is reflective of what, government, opposition and stakeholders and citizens of our country believe to date with regard to the treatment of the use of marijuana,” Dr. Douglas said.