THE REPORTER
Sunday, November 4th, 2018
Page 25
All about The People
You Too Pablo?
L
Neri Briceno
ast week I wrote an article which pretty much was totally against the view of the Leader of the Opposition and the People’s United Party (PUP) in the national marijuana debate. As expected, I received a tsunami of texts, emails and Facebook messages reprimanding me about how dare I contradict the Party Leader on such a sensitive issue. The comments ranged from family ties to political allegiance to the repercussions of what can happen to me when the party comes into power. Regardless of all the
comments or in some cases warnings that I received, my view has remained unchanged and one that I will not withdraw. If the Party cannot accept dissenting views, then maybe they are not really ready for leadership. While I am by no means insinuating that those who contacted me were directed by the Party or the Party Leader to do so, it is painfully obvious that party zealots will do anything to ensure that their party get into power. I have always said, and I will repeat that I am no party fanatic. I have and will always be an independent thinker and sometimes my views will align with that of the VIP, BPP, PUP or UDP. I am convinced that there are good people in all our political parties, although I am having serious doubt that there are more than a very limited amount of decent
people in the UDP. The way they have managed the nation over the past terms in office is huge evidence of the people within that system that are either afraid, don’t care or are more interested in self-preservation than in love of country. With politicians increasingly making decisions with no consultation with the people they represent, we can expect to see more and more off the wall ideas, decisions and suggestions and the push by most of our political parties, big and small towards that move in the marijuana debate seems to be that case. My opposition to marijuana is based mainly on the fact that, as humans, the last thing we need is legal availability and accessibility to another mind-altering drug. With availability to alcohol so open and easy, why do we need anything else? To add to this al-
ready crazy mix-up, now here comes Pablo. Ask me what the Ministry of Health is doing meeting, soliciting or encouraging investment and I will say that they probably misunderstood their mandate, roles and responsibilities with that of Beltraide or the Ministry of Economic Development, Investment, Trade & Commerce. I would believe that with the deplorable state of healthcare in the nation ranging from dead babies to rats at the Western Regional Hospital to drug shortages to the falling roof at the KHMH, the last thing the Minister would be focusing on is marijuana or hemp production and cultivation. The recently exposed correspondences between the Ministry of Health and potential business investors have shown two things. One, that the Barrow administration has been caught with its pants
down and appears to fully support what Johnny was proposing and that if this idea was to pass and become law, the pie has already been divided up. As one person posted on Facebook, the Mennonites, investors and large farmers would plant it, the Chinese would retail it and we would smoke it. As with any other legally controlled substance, more than likely some sort of license would be needed to grow it and guess who those would be going to. Definitely not the ordinary man on the street. Any idea of the legalization of marijuana is meant to do one thing to the Belizean people and that is to keep us in a perpetual haze so that the government can continue to do whatever they like with us, while on the other hand we are overjoyed that we would have the legal ability to remain stoned.
Any government that cares would not be going down this direction. Rather they would be looking at improving healthcare, reducing crime and decreasing unemployment. Any liberal agency that does not focus on that is not in the interest of the nation and people need to start seeing when our leadership is trying to distract us. If we failed to see the mass increase in the number of marijuana related arrests since the decriminalization of 10 grams or the turf violence that has ensued after this, then we are totally blind and probably need to be led by the nose. This initiative is not meant to benefit anyone but big business and like tourism has done, foreigners that look nothing like us. We cannot remove the yoke of one master to become prisoners of another, and any legalization of marijuana will play right into that.
Hodge Podge
A Little Something for Everyone! In bygone days when doing can strain the tiny muscles surbusiness, men would shake rounding your spine. Adjusting hands and the deal was done. A your chair (or using a pillow) man’s word was his bond. Toso you’re leaning back a bit day hand shaking it out. Doing could ease that stiffness in 24 business involves both parties hours. signing a written contract with a lot of dos and don’ts. In these HOUSEHOLD HINTS days of greed, back stabbing, To b u f f a w a y k e y b o a r d and betrayal, there is no trust g r ime , u n p lu g it. T h e n g e n tly regardless of who you are. r u b a n e r a s e r o n a n d b e tw e e n Signing a contract is th e k e y s ; b lo w to r e p r o t e c t i n g b o t h p a rmove shavings. The ties involved, and if abrasive eraser will a person refuses to nix marks and dissign a contract, then lodge debris between The family that a a red flag should th e k e y s . prays together, stays go that he is not on together the up and up, and BEAUTY TIPS you should refuse to Toner is a final laydo business with that er of beauty product person. He might be to us after cleaning angry with you, but your skin. It will help as the Chinese saying you get a fresh look, goes, “Better you vex reduce puffiness, and than me vex.” tighten your pores. “Better to be safe than sorry.” HUMOUR We w e r e p o o r w h e n I w a s THINGS YOU SHOULD young, but the difference then KOW was the government didn’t Knowing a good friend has come around telling you, you your back boosts confidence were poor. and self-acceptance. If at first you don’t succeed, HEALTH tr y, tr y a g a in . T h e n q u it. N o Canadian researchers found u s e b e in g a d a mn f o o l a b o u t that sitting ramrod straight it.
COOTS