Term Slug
member

High time indeed to review marijuana policies

KINGSTON, Jamaica - On September 17, the Bureau of the Heads of Government of the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) discussed the decriminalisation of marijuana and its production for medicinal purposes.
The discussion was prompted by the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves who, prior to the meeting, is reported to have said "it is high time" that the matter is addressed "in a sensible, focused, not hysterical manner".

Legalising marijuana would be wrong

KINGSTON, Jamaica - An edited portion of Government MP Dr Dayton Campbell's contribution to the debate in Parliament on the motion to legalise marijuana.
A third of Jamaicans have used ganja in any form and 30 per cent of Jamaicans have smoked marijuana with males reporting this three times more frequently than females.

Marijuana a gateway drug? Jury still out

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Sometimes I feel like I have spent my life in court with teenage boys charged for possession of marijuana. I’m sure that’s part of the reason why I support Chief Justice Ivor Archie’s idea of decriminalising marijuana. I can personally testify that being charged for possession of marijuana means a case that will go on for years in court. I can’t tell you how many hours or how many years I have spent in court seeing one marijuana case postponed after the next—usually because the police didn’t bother to show up to argue their case.

The great ganja debate continues

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - IT IS NOT a new issue but one which we can no longer let dangle. From Kingston to Kingstown to Washington and Bridgetown, there is clearly momentum in the discussion on whether to decriminalize marijuana and what impact this will have on fighting illegal drugs in our region. It can best be described as the great ganja debate.

No respect for charity-seeking countries

KIGNSTON, Jamaica - THE bureau of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), at its recent meeting, decried disparaging comments by foreign financial and economic commentators. Why is CARICOM not getting respect for its economic policy? Nobody is obliged to assist anyone else, but the willingness to help is usually stimulated by sympathy with someone who cannot help himself because of circumstances beyond his control. This may be due to a deformity, which may require permanent assistance, or to tragic events, such as natural disasters or sudden job loss, which may require temporary assistance.

A campaign worth waging

Kingston, Jamaica - The charismatic and visionary St Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves is working hard to put the issue of reparations for slavery on the map. Last week's first ever Regional Reparation Conference is an important initial step.
Nobody pretends that the campaign to obtain reparations for the Caribbean will be easy. Europe is in the middle of a severe economic downturn, triggered by the banking crisis a decade ago. The people of the former slave-holding countries are facing big cuts in their standard of living, jobs and services.

EU use of per capita income in determining eligibility for aid is misguided-LaRocque

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – SECRETARY General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Caribbean Forum of African Caribbean and  Pacific (ACP) States (CARIFORUM) Mr. Irwin LaRocque  feels that  new European Union (EU) external aid policies of using  per capita income to determine ACP countries  eligibility for  development assistance  is misguided.

New ‘action’ mood in CARICOM?

KINGSTON, Jamaica - EVEN as Heads of Government of our Caribbean Community (CARICOM) appear to be moving away from a "pause mode" imposed three years ago in favour of a proactive approach on social and economic developments, they would, hopefully, avoid wasting scarce human resources and time in pursuit of new initiatives.

Solutions must match our needs

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - MANY will agree with the President of the Caribbean Development Bank, Dr. Warren Smith that economic growth across the Caribbean must be built on several pillars.
No longer can growth strategies be undertaken in isolation but rather through a coherent set of interrelated policies. They are necessary if the island nations of this region are to make a rebound from what has been the under performance by these economies for the most part over the last five to six years.

Subscribe to Member