Last Updated on June 22, 2023, 6:14 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, recently presented the Smoking (Designated Areas) Bill, 2023, to the members of the general assembly of the country for 2nd reading and passage into law. He started his address to the national assembly by reflecting on the diversity of human nature.
While advocating the need for the passage of Smoking (Designated Areas) Bill, 2023, Dr Drew asserted that the choice of all the people must be respected. Accordingly, he reflected that the country comprises diverse people with different lifestyles, backgrounds and religious beliefs. Further, he said that as St Kitts and Nevis mature as a democracy, they want to be a country of inclusion and not exclusion.
Dr Terrance Drew committed that he wants to see a nation that seeks to give everybody an equal chance and a country that respects people’s decisions. This is the same way in the case of smoking, Cannabis and tobacco. The prime minister stated that he is no one to judge the people’s actions.
However, he stated that they must develop an arrangement that allows both sections to coexist without infringing on the other. Thus, the prime minister shared that they want to create designated areas for smoking. This will allow people to indulge in the designated area without offending anyone.
The Prime Minister, Dr Terrance Drew, then briefly alluded to the law that the judge passed recently concerning the use, cultivation, et al., of Cannabis. He stated that we have to make arrangements to abide by the law. The debate regarding smoking in designated areas also aligns with following the law. It allows the nation to uphold the human rights of all the people and give them equal status.
Further, Dr Drew shared that the Rastafari Community will benefit from the passage of this legislation into law. He reminded the community’s people that it is part of the Rastafari community’s religious sacrament to partake in Cannabis. He acknowledged that the people do not have to agree or believe it.
However, the constitution places all the members of the society, whether they believe in no god, the god with a different name, or anything else they want to believe in, on the same pedestal. Accordingly, Dr Terrance Drew asserted that with this law, people could have a designated place for smoking and not be around anyone who did not wish to partake.
Dr Terrance Drew stated that you don’t want to have people not have an opportunity to express themselves. He added that with this environment, all the people can coexist. He stated that this is the best scenario that we can have. PM Drew believes that as society develops, we must become more tolerant, open and advanced democracy.
Dr Drew reflected on the discrimination that the Rastafari Community Face. He condemned the marginalization and discrimination that the community faces for their religious beliefs. He shared his experience of meeting a member of the Rastafari Community. She stated that her community needs respect and manners.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
