‘We don’t need UK to pass marijuana bill’, Premier says
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has indicated that the BVI’s laws give elected leaders the authority to pass cannabis legislation without the United Kingdom’s approval.
The BVI’s Cannabis Licensing Bill has been stuck at the Governor’s Office since 2020 because the United Kingdom has some issues with it. Speaking on Tola Radio last week, Premier Wheatley said he has raised the matter with new Governor Daniel Pruce even though his assent isn’t needed.
“Our laws currently allow us to legalize marijuana even without seeking the assent of the Governor,” Premier Wheatley told host Floyd “Heritage” Burnett.
“So then why are we here if that truly is the case?” Heritage asked. “They didn’t stop the Greedy Bill or anything else but they stopped that?”
In response, Premier Wheatley said he doesn’t know the real reason the bill hasn’t been assented to, adding that the UK is a big exporter of cannabis. But he didn’t explain why his government has not passed the Cannabis bill, since the Governor’s assent isn’t needed.
In the meantime, the Premier said the Cannabis law, which is expected to boost the BVI’s economy, is a priority that his government will focus on after the COI reforms have been completed.
“We’re seeking to engage with them (the UK) and see how we can move forward because the Foreign Secretary actually wrote to us and said why they haven’t assented to the legislation. But it’s a priority for us once we get the Commission of Inquiry behind us,” Premier Wheatley said.
The BVI’s cannabis law was brought to the fore once again, amid news that the USVI is taking concrete steps to bring their Cannabis law into force.
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(1) In response, Premier Wheatley said he doesn’t know the real reason the bill hasn’t been assented to,
(2) We’re seeking to engage with them (the UK) and see how we can move forward because the Foreign Secretary actually wrote to us and said why they haven’t assented to the legislation.
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS THIS MAN SAYING??????????????
Hahaha! In case you did not know, your premier gets all his answers through phone messages so maybe that day he had too many chats open at the same time.
Wa kind of lieing leadership we have.one min u saying we don’t need the UK to input. Then u saying u don’t know why it wasn’t assented too. Now u saying the UK wrote u a letter to say why it wasn’t assented too. Which one is it? And to go on tola radio chatting piss and hbh ain’t hear this stupidness?
Stop taking the people in this country for fools. We are more intelligent that the whole Vip government that’s in power.
Why haven’t your current administration amended the criminal code 1996. So cannabis possession/captivation won’t attract a charge?
Why haven’t your heath ministry made any changes to the schedule of drugs to make medical cannabis a reality?
We need a action government. This Vip admin needs to dissolve. Totally clueless on everything.
While u at it give kye the dam money to fix the place, stop playing political Chess with the man cause vip caucus think he can’t lose his district in election
THE BVI IS GOING TO BE THE LAST COUNTRY IN THE CARIBBEAN TO PASS THEIR’S
gas deh bout if ayo need nah herb must burn #Fuel
When you ask Natalio a question he always has an “I don’t know” answer.
This guy is so unprepared.
Just big words without meaning leaving his mouth.
well hurry up and get it sorted we could have elevated the place a long time ago more entrepeneurs
“ELEVATE” …. (wink)
During the primaries in the US Biden said he would legalize weed. It has been 3 years since he’s been elected. I’m not sure if he plans to try to legalize it in the states before the next election to try and boost his approval rating but most states have already passed recreational marijuana. If passed in the BVI it could boost tourism and overall wealth within the land.
Many pharmaceutical companies aren’t in favor of weed because it will take away business from them. So countries like the UK and USA might seem pro-legalization of weed but won’t rush into it cause they might have pharmaceutical connections that would be hurt because of the legalization.
There’s a US case where a woman got off of running down ppl because she was suffing mania due to weed.
They not legalizing it because they know what happen with cigarettes and nicotine will happen with weed and THC
Lawsuits lawsuits lawsuits.
(BTW Google is you friend, smoking that is not good for you)
Okay, google weed cures Tourette syndrome. Many people with tics are now taking cannabinoids to help deal with tics and other impulsive syndromes. Comparing cigarettes to weed seems like it make be similar but they really aren’t.
We have enough pot heads in the place. we don’t need to legalize squat!
So you think all the pot heads should be locked up then. Something they do by choice that harms nobody should be something they should be put in prison for. Why make people feel like criminals for something they enjoy doing?
The very same argument could be used for legalising same sex marriage. There’s a thought
Not really. The same argument can be used for things like alcohol which is already legal. You want to know why weed first got made illegal in the states. It was because white people were saying that black men would go around r#%@$^% white woman through ads in the news paper. Same sex marriage has nothing to do with any sort of substance. You ever heard of the war on drugs in the states. It was laws passed that generally targeted Black people. You really don’t want to go down that route that criminalizes your fellow local who likes to smoke weed from time to time. The same way people like to drink a beer from time to time.
We have too many alcoholics, cocaine addicts and crack smokers. We do not have enough pot heads! to put it into perspective: THC is a psychoactive drug, i.e. it activates / stimulates brain function (we can argue over the health risks another time). Alcohol is a poison, literally, and it depresses brain function. Ever wonder why you suffer a hangover? Well that’s because you just went and poisoned yourself and your body is rejecting it.
The more people stimulate their minds, the better the world will be. The more people depress their minds, the worse we will be. Pretty simple logic.
poppy show you going to say all of that to still not explain why then the bill cant go nowhere if we don’t need their permission or approval.
BVI should concentrate on growing food and cut the food import bill.
The premier just told y’all that he is the problem straight up.
Sounds like He already had too much of Me to smoke. This territory already has too much Corruption. I am glad the Governor had the good sense not to assent to that Bill. This little 2X4 Territory is one of the most Corrupt Overseas Territory owned by Britian…
I’m glad I don’t have to come on in defense when other people have already laid out reasonable support for legalization.
Let them grow their own that is all. Nuff said. Legalize it. Stop playing with the people and jeopardizing our people’s health.
HE MIX UP MY BOY
THAT IS 3 DIFFERENT ANSWER in 1.
What we dont need is having investors coming here to dominate the trade which will make them richer and we the people must just slave as usual and work on the investors ganga plantations to just earn a misley paycheck no no no way. We the people can all earn from this trade if it was given some collective and good goverance thoughts for the people to prosper but as usual the leaders only think on the people at election time. Plus us the people can still be arrested for it doesnt make any sense so take that bill and burn it to ash i rather them pay people to plant food.
Why would a weed investor come to a land and invest in a weed market when they can just do the exact same thing in the states without the work permits and taxes needed to do so.
Legislate, regulate, Medicate and tax! Time to catch up to
Modern times and thinking.
Legalize it – Tax it !- Fix the potholes
Might as well they pass the dam Bill. Every social event, restaurant you could see people using mariguana in tortola virgin Islands.