Governor should’ve voiced concerns on marijuana bill before it passed

The BVI’s governor should have shared his concerns about the Cannabis Licensing Act before it was allowed to pass in the House of Assembly (HOA).

This was the view shared by Premier Andrew Fahie at a recent appearance before members of the media.

The BVI’s former governor, Augustus Jaspert, declined to offer assent to the Act last year, citing concerns about the absence of a marijuana licensing body. Thereafter, Jaspert sent the bill to the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). This was a feat that the Premier described as unprecedented in the BVI’s political history.

“It’s a lot of work done to get a bill done and to reach to a level and not [have the bill] assented to,” the Premier shared.

According to Fahie, bills usually see many discussions involving various departments. He said they require a Cabinet paper and a Cabinet sitting before being read and debated in the House of Assembly. He said all these processes happen before any legislation ever gets to a governor for final assent.

The Premier said there are also many public consultations involved in helping to shape a piece of legislation before it passes in the House.

“It takes some wind out of you sometimes when you reach to that level after all that and the public consultations – and then have it not assented to for something that was never mentioned to you in all of those processes along the way,” Premier Fahie said.