Caye Caulker Referendum Raises Serious Questions

Next week’s vote on cannabis could change the game, but is Belize ready for the fallout? The UDP says democracy matters, but questions whether a single island should decide on an issue with national consequences. And beyond that, what about the money? Could cannabis revenues put Belize’s banking relationships at risk? These are the questions hanging over the debate as the country watches Caye Caulker take center stage.

 

Gabriel Zetina, UDP Senator

“As you all know, next week they will be going into a voting in an extension to the Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Control and Licensing Bill. In the UDP, which stands for the United Democratic Party, democracy is important and as democracy is vitally important, we believe that the will of the people must prevail. But we do have some serious reservations about the process as it is. First off, the decision that comes out next week has national consequences, yet the referendum is limited to small community like Caye Caulker. Caye Caulker voices matter, but so do the voices of the rest of the country. Knowing that this will have national implications, we cannot create a kingdom within a kingdom. This decision could impact an entire nation, so the nation should also be consulted. Secondly, the banking question. For years, Belize has relied on correspondent banking like US intermediary banks. What provisions will ensure that revenues coming in from cannabis do not jeopardize the relationships we have with these banks? It’s not only about Caye Caulker, but for the entire country of Belize.”