BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis Dr Terrance Drew has issued a formal apology to members of the Rastafarian movement as the Parliament approved legislation aimed at bringing them “closer together as a people”.

The Parliament gave the green light to the Rastafari Rights Recognition Bill (2023) with Drew saying it is “indeed a historic moment and an emotional moment not just for me, but the entire Rastafarian community”.

He said that the government “stands resolute in our decision to raise the level of equality and equity within our Federation and this is just one of the many steps forward in that direction as we continue to work towards becoming a sustainable island state.

“It is a suite of things we are doing to make sure where we did not have it right that we get it right and we do it with humility and we do it with respect no malice at all, but really with an effort to bring us closer together as a people,” Drew noted.

“What has gone, I would say, we must be mature enough to recognise that wrongs were done and we have the opportunity to correct some of those wrongs,” Drew told legislators, adding ”I would like to apologise to the Rastafari community.

“This took too long to come. They suffered a lot,” an emotional Drew added.

He noted that as a result of the passage of the legislation, members of the Rastafari movement will now receive the full legal right to cultivate, harvest, dry, trim, cure or possess and smoke cannabis as a sacrament for their upliftment or edification at their places of assembly.

The bill also provides for the process of registration of Rastafari groups, recognition of various rights related to the use of cannabis by registered Rastafari groups, and licencing for the freedom of conscience possession and use of cannabis in certain public places.

A registered Rastafari group may apply through the Ministry to the Cabinet of Ministers for several waivers and concessions, including waivers of licence fees granted pursuant to the Cannabis Act (2020), waivers on business licence fees granted pursuant to the Licences on Business and Occupations Act, as well as concessions on the payment of unincorporated business income tax pursuant to the Unincorporated Business Income Tax Act.

The groups will also apply for concessions on the payment of corporate income tax as well as the payment of customs import duties on goods imported into the twin-island Federation.

They may also apply for waivers on property tax granted pursuant to the Property Tax Act and the lease of parcels of Crown land at concessionary rates.