Last Updated on February 9, 2023, 3:24 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew introduced the Criminal Records (Rehabilitation of Offenders) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, during the national assembly sitting on February 8, 2023. The National Assembly of St Kitts and Nevis members sat together for a session on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, tabled various other bills, and held in-depth discussions.
The Criminal Records (Rehabilitation of Offenders) (Amendment) Bill, 2023 aims to help the people accused of criminal offences and sentenced to imprisonment for Cannabis-related crimes. The prime Minister noted that through this legislation, law enforcement agencies could expunge the criminal records of individuals convicted for planting less than five plants of Cannabis. The legislation also extended to the deletion of the criminal records of individuals who were fined or imprisoned for less than three years.
Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew elaborated on the significance of the legislation. He clarified to the national assembly that most of the youth of St Kitts and Nevis, convicted of minor Cannabis related crimes, cannot aspire to be productive members of society owing to their convictions. He further added that it affected the youth in pursuing their careers in medicine and other fields.
At the same time, he asserted that the amendment in the bill would help reinstate the constitutional rights of the people specified under the May 2019 landmark decision of the High Court in Ras Sankofa Maccabee v the Commissioner of Police and the Attorney-General.
Dr Terrance Drew took the opportunity to divulge the details of the Ras Sankofa Maccabee verdict. He noted that before the verdict of the high court, possession and cultivation of Cannabis was considered illegal and was punishable by fine or imprisonment. Here, the high court ruling specified some concerns, noting that the drug law was inconsistent as it violated several constitutional rights, including the right to privacy, freedom of conscience and religion.
Additionally, they argued that the law made no exceptions for cultivation and possession by adults in a private place for their private use or religious use by the people in the Rastafari religion. Accordingly, Prime Minister Drew noted that his administration is making the required changes to the law, following the concerns raised by the May 2019 high court ruling.
Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew noted that the previous administration failed to make these changes. At the same time, during the assembly sitting, he expressed that St Kitts and Nevis is ready to take the initiative for their medical cannabis industry. Accordingly, he announced that under this industry, farmers could get license to cultivate Cannabis for medicinal purposes. In line with the same, Dr Garfield Alexander PM Terrance Drew announced the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer of the Medicinal Cannabis Authority.
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.
