Rastas ‘at risk’

THE “RUSH” TO PASS cannabis laws will put Rastafarians in danger of being targeted by criminals. It is also payback by the Barbados Labour Party for certain votes, says Opposition Senator Caswell Franklyn.

“They are rushing and don’t know what they are doing,” he told the Senate yesterday as it debated the Medicinal Cannabis Industry Bill, 2019, and the Sacramental Cannabis Bill, 2019.

Under the Sacramental Cannabis Bill, Rastafarians will be allowed to grow and use cannabis at places of worship, and have a small quantity while travelling to places of worship.The House of Assembly passed the measure last Friday.

However, a fiery Franklyn feared that cultivation would open up Rastas to being attacked.

“Unless you are going to have armed people protecting your stash, this bill is going to put the Rastafarian community in trouble. You are putting them up to get killed. The criminal element who want that stash, because this is business; this is for sale not by the Rastas but by the people who will steal it and sell it. This bill isn’t thought out properly; they rushed it too fast,” he said.

Subscribe now to our eNATION edition. For the latest stories and breaking news updates download the Nationnews apps for iOS and Android.