And the churches are using former PM Barrow as their poster boy for a campaign to gather about 19,000 signatures on a petition that would force a referendum on whether weed should be legalized.
To force a referendum, you need 10% of the registered voters to sign - and the churches are determined to get it.
They have the support of the opposition and the national trade union congress of Belize as well as unexpected support from the Belize Association of Principals of Secondary Schools - "BAPSS".
Their release says, quote, "We serve a population of youths who are vulnerable to this drug which alters brain chemistry and hinders brain function, initiative, and creativity. The implications of this drug being potentially even more widely used, alarm us."
Last night on Uncut, Pastor Luis Wade welcomed the support and blasted the government for not engaging in what he calls genuine consultation:
Pastor Louis Wade - Member, NEAB
"We really felt that the government would have responded favorable to a request from the bishops for a referendum for a proper consultation. NEAB has invited the government, the government has never met with NEAB, has never met with the council of churches for any kind of consultation. So, if they won't even consult, I don't expect them to be happy about a referendum to hear the actual voices of the people and I believe this government does have a problem with genuine consultation. This is a petition that has wide acceptance in the country where both people who smoke marijuana and people who do not smoke marijuana say it's a good idea to get a pulse of the people who would not want to know where we stand. Why is that Kareem Musa will come on the air and try to frustrate a referendum that simply speaks to what the wishes of the people are. They are desperate for the church to endorse a flawed bill and refuse to do it. We want the bill killed but we want parents and those who are watching us this evening to help us to kill the bill. If it becomes into law we will kill the law, join in the fight against drugs because the government is moving on to the side of the cartels, we need to take up the fight."
Jules Vasquez
"You only have 10 days."
Pastor Louis Wade
"No, no, no, says who?"
Jules Vasquez
"The house and the senate have passed it."
Pastor Louis Wade
"The constitution. I want to see if Johnny Briceno PM honorable is going to follow his personal whims of the constitution of Belize. I think there are a lot more test coming down the road for the government than just the issue of marijuana. I think there are more test coming down the road. The issue of democracy itself vs an authoritarian government."
Wade also pointed to government's inability to enforce age limits on consumption of alcohol and tobacco:
Pastor Louis Wade
"Clearly, our government is unable to regulate alcohol, which is in the classroom. They are unable to regulate tobacco, which is in the classroom and now they want to claim that they can actually regulate weed. Come on, that's a joke."
