Cannabis Referendum Prompts Lawmakers to Rethink Rules

The cannabis referendum on Caye Caulker may be local, but it has raised national questions. Area Representative Andre Perez says while the vote must be respected, it also highlights a bigger issue, should individual communities be able to call their own referendums? With Caye Caulker being part of one of the country’s largest constituencies, Belize Rural South, Perez believes this could set a precedent. And now, the Briceno Administration is moving quickly to review the Referendum Act to prevent similar situations from unfolding without national oversight.

 

Andre Perez, Area Representative, Belize Rural South

“It happens to be that it’s being done in this community of Caye Caulker which happens to be part of a bigger constituency which is the third largest constituency in the country. So, first of all, it has happened [and] we must respect it, but I think our responsibility as a government to make sure that this could potentially serve as a precedence somewhere else, in some other community, for that matter, that would want to take up an issue or a factor that they think they have a right to. So, I think that we have to make sure, we’re a small country, so if we’re going to do any kind of referendum it’s got to be at the national level. I’m not too sure if you can say whether Caye Caulker is going to be like a litmus test here, because the culture of this community is deeply rooted. We’re very tight-knitted, so I’m not too sure that whatever representation comes out today can be taken as the representation of a whole country.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And speaking with the Prime Minister, he had mentioned that following this referendum, you guys would be reviewing the Referendum Act to ensure that something like this does not happen again. Has that process begun?”

 

Andre Perez

“Exactly. Yes, we have already began to talk because we have to act on it swiftly and that we make the necessary amendments. That’s important for the greater good of this country. This is a glaring example of a situation that comes out that we, as a government, cannot challenge.”