2022, started with the promise of a completely legal and above-board Belizean marijuana industry.
But that industry, supported, and to an extent spearheaded by Minister of New Growth Industries Kareem Musa came upon challenge after challenge.
First, there was the challenge from the churches led by Pastor Luis Wade who called for a referendum condemning the fallen state that legalized marijuana would bring on Belize; then there was the challenge from the banks who made it clear that financing for the marijuana industry would not come at their hands.
And, at the end of a year that started with so much hope, we asked Kareem Musa about the disappointment he feels at his dashed hopes for Belize as a regional pioneer in ganja, here's what he said.
Cherisse Halsall
"Would you have expected that by the end of 2022 marijuana would have been entirely legal in Belize and that we would be witnessing a nascent industry, as we end the year is this a disappointment for your ministry?"
Kareem Musa, Minister Of National Security
"It's funny because I was watching a documentary on Youtube last night about Thailand, who would have thought that Thailand would ever have gone there? They are such a conservative society to have gone all in and now they are actually the leaders in Cannabis. I think there are several regrets, one is that we failed to recognize that cannabis is a part of daily life in Belize, a lot of these murders are because of the cannabis trade, the illegal cannabis trade and that is one of the things we were trying to counter with the legislation is to have the regulations in place and of course, it is a billion dollar industry, unfortunately, the window is closing in because everywhere around us is now moving in the direction of legalization. We could have been. So, in that way it is regrettable but at the same time the people must have their say in a referendum> I am confident that when a referendum is called that the yes vote for the legalization of something already legal will pass. It only makes sense because like I said it is already legal for you to have 10 grams on you just no way for you to legally acquire it so it just really makes no sense at all."
