Are We Prepared for Caye Caulker’s Cannabis Referendum?

Since Monday, we have been closely monitoring movements on Caye Caulker as residents prepare to cast their vote in a referendum that may forever change the economic landscape of the village. On October eighth, they will decide whether a regulated and taxable cannabis industry on the island is the solution they have been waiting for to address the community’s infrastructural issues, or if the industry would compromise the livelihoods of its residents. Some claim that it would mean new opportunities for entrepreneurs and discourage illegal drug trade in Belize. Others argue that it would mean trouble for Caye Caulker’s tourism industry and may potentially increase crime rates. In tonight’s edition of the Five-Point-Breakdown, we take a closer look at everything we know about the referendum and the atmosphere on the island as it approaches.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

In 2022, Belize almost legalized recreational marijuana. The government had a bill ready, but backlash from churches and doctors forced a rethink. A national referendum was planned, until the cost killed the idea. Now, three years later, the debate is back, but on a smaller stage. Caye Caulker’s village councilor, Ilya Rosado, has secured an island-wide vote to decide if the community should allow a regulated cannabis industry. So, what’s fueling this push? Rosado explains what’s behind the movement..

How the Marijuana Movement Began

 

Ilya Rosado, Caye Caulker Village Councilor

“My community has many needs and most of that are things like infrastructure. I have people in my community living without water and electricity. We need proper streets. Our schools need help in terms of their own facilities, their own infrastructure, and we never have enough revenue to be able to render the assistance that I’d like to help. And one of the. Things that I came up with as a possibility was seeing if we can use this as a way to get additional revenue for our community.”

 

The Governor General has given the green light for the referendum, following Belize’s Referendum Act. But not everyone’s cheering. Former Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte slammed the move, arguing that a single village shouldn’t make decisions that could ripple across the entire country. However, the referendum act makes allowances for such activities. Although the government was not able to intervene in the referendum, the government committed to reviewing the referendum act.

 

Weaknesses in Belize’s Referendum Act

 

Prime Minister John Briceño (File: September 4th, 2025)

“So now, we have a village in effect saying that they want to have a referendum and legally we could not have stopped it. So we are going to the National Assembly next week to make some amendments to ensure that those things can happen. Because then, any village could call for referendum for whatever it is that they want. And we want to make sure that we don’t do that one. But secondly also that to ensure that if they want to have a referendum, it has to be something specifically just for them that does not have ally national implications.”

 

Several residents have expressed concerns about a cannabis industry potentially endangering youths on the island. However, the ‘Legalize It’ Pro-Campaign outlines an industry that prohibits customers under twenty-one years old from purchasing. We asked a few residents what will motivate their vote on October eighth.

 

Island Residents React to Upcoming Referendum

 

Jaheem Rosado, Caye Caulker Resident

“Some of the areas that we want to improve is baheia, where it’s always flooded. People are walking through muddy water, nasty water. The schools, especially our schools, really need to be fixed. Especially or streets in front of here that we use a lot. We need drain systems, all that stuff. And I think if we keep the revenue here. It will help and the island will benefit from it.”

 

Russell Reed, Caye Caulker Resident (File: September 29^th, 2025)

“At first thought I said it makes sense for them to legalize it throughout the whole country. But everybody’s saying that they want to legalize it in Caye Caulker where they can buy out the shops. But no poor people in Caye Caulker can afford a shop. So they’re just gonna be supporting getting the rich people more richer because they gonna be selling everything to the tourists. And the poor people not benefit from it. Nothing from it. So it doesn’t make sense for the thing to legalize just here, if you legalize it. They gotta legalize the whole country.”

In 2022, religious communities across the nation were a loud voice, opposing the legalization of cannabis. Now, their cry is just as loud. Celina Jimenez-Fuentes, a Caye Caulker resident and leader of the ‘Hope not Dope’ campaign, says that a marijuana industry may compromise the island’s tourism industry and potentially increase crime rates.

 

Churches Push for ‘No’ Vote on Cannabis

 

Celina Jimenez-Fuentes, Caye Caulker Resident (File: September 30^th, 2025)

“There will still be street peddlers, street vendors. We can’t stop that. It will happen in other countries that is legalized. It’s still happening. You can’t stop those things. And there are other people in the country that they’re into it. And you know what will happen? They will see, oh, there’s a market in Caye Caulker oh let me go there. Caye Caulker is not ready for a turf war. We’re not because they will fight for territory.”

 

Firmly pushing back against the concerns of the religious community is Minister of New Growth Industries, Kareem Musa, who does not foresee an increase in drug-motivated crimes. Musa argues that the industry may create new opportunities for young entrepreneurs and lower crime rates.

 

Can Caye Caulker Support a Cannabis Industry?

 

Kareem Musa, Minister of New Growth Industries (File: September 5^th, 2025)

“Caye Caulker would be a cannabis destination designated as such, like a little Amsterdam, if you will. And so the cannabis that is produced there will be sold there, small quantities. So you cannot expect that it will then get across the country. And if it does, like I said, there is an illegal trade that has. Tons more illegal cannabis, which we don’t know the safety of that. And so that’s another add added bonus to this is that we’ll get safe products tested products as opposed to what is coming in from Mexico right now.”

 

Although the movement is isolated to Caye Caulker, many citizens have expressed their belief that the matter should be determined by a national vote. Could this decision on Caye Caulker set the stage for a countrywide vote, or will high costs snuff out that idea again?  Britney Gordon for News Five.