And from the chickens to cannabis, earlier in the news, you heard what Minister Kareem Musa had to say about the potential referendum for the marijuana bill. But the media also asked him about the banking issues that Belize would run into should the legislation go through.
You've heard the previous prime minister, Dean Barrow - who has signed the petition - say that he doesn't think this is the right move for Belize just yet, in that we'd run into problems with commercial banks who may refuse to accept government accounts that can be traced to the marijuana trade. And not just the government, but producers as well. And a cash-only basis could open the door for money laundering and robberies.
But Minister Musa said he's not too concerned about Dean Barrow's thoughts on the matter.
Hon. Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industry
"You want me to stand here and you want me to listen to advise of a prime minister who did not create a single new industry for this country in 13 years and you want me to take his advice. What I am telling you in terms of this banking, when it comes to the cannabis business. It's done in Jamaica, they had similar issues as did we with offshore banking regulations and they had to comply and change their regulations and now they are fine with correspondent banking. They have seen zero negative impact from their legal medical cannabis industry in Jamaica. Likewise, we are a Caribbean country. I have been assured there would be no issue, but what we will have is a cash industry, like Jamaica, like America, like Canada - it's a cash industry until the federal United States government passes now its call the More banking act, so when that passes then you will see the banks in Belize start accepting hemp and cannabis dollars."
