Belize is a country cultured in doing things without regulation

Yet again we find ourselves in yet another peculiar situation

That point blank will require more than just a change in legislation Among a emotionally charged population

Like others in the wider Caribbean who are entertaining thoughts of marijuana decriminalization

A committee was formed without proper consultation

Then to save face the National Drug Abuse Control Council director was hauled on board to give it legitimization

Careful study of the Misuse of Drug Act Would have in fact made this committee act with more tact It would have familiarized the members with NDACC at all levels National level local level and international level

The Drug Council is not an implementing agency It is a policy driven agency; their responsibility is to write policies

For implementation for those agencies that do execution In addition their mandate is to do research and present data As it stands the Misuse of Drugs Act is their Bible

So they cannot support the Decriminalization of marijuana in principle

The Director sits on the Decriminalization Committee As a custodian of the work done at the National Drug Control Council currently

By right and in principle that committee should have never been formed NDACC is the only entity authorized to recommend the decriminalization or the criminalization Of any substance in the country of Belize Despite what the citizenry this in regulated in legalese and hyper-boles

The Councils’ position for not supporting is that we do not have the infrastructure To support whatever positive or negative effects may be brought to bear

The legalization of marijuana will have significant wear and tear

They’re asking the Decriminalization Committee five years

To put in the infrastructure, meaning policies, legislations, Procedures, Training, and standards of care

This is the unofficial position of the Council Plain and simple unless the Minster uses his discretionary powers to appease the people

Folks it’s not just that simple

The heads of the Caribbean met today to Trinidad to form a committee

This will have significant ripple effects regionally Jamaica have started already but they still will not be able to decriminalize in totality

At best they will only be able to exercise the law with flexibility

We do not have legislation that governs a Drug Court But in principle and in practice we have Drug Court

The Council has been in existence for some twenty – twenty five years

It was the first created and legislated in the region And in 2008 they found out that they were some twenty years behind So the new director’s mandate was to get on the grind To bring the Council on par with Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados and the Bahamas

Had to set his priorities, dirty his fingers and engage the other social partners

The previous Drug Council had beautiful extremities and but not backbone

There was no policy document to run with it stood on its own

The focus now is on monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to get support from the ministry We have the Misuse of Drugs Act 2000 that was not user friendly

Then there is over 200 legislation s that talks about tobacco And alcohol that are presently legislated

The plan it to put that into one legislation The Tobacco Bill, we have policy but not a Bill nor Act or Law Again the system is flawed We have a prepared Drug Policy

We have a prepared National Alcohol Policy

Even though they have not yet been legislated

But they are ready and awaiting the political directorates authorization And even if he is removed, his successor will not go through

What he went through in 2009 And Belize will no longer be logging behind

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