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Vol. 32, Issue 14 QUEENS/LONG ISLAND/BRONX/MANHATTAN April 2-8, 2021
Brooklyn community activist Owusu Slater. MC Kresge
By Nelson A. King
Brooklyn community activist
Owusu Slater on Wednesday
welcomed, with some reservations,
New York State Legislature’s
vote legalizing the adult
use of recreational marijuana
for individuals 21 years of age
and older, saying “it’s been a
long time coming.”
“For many, it’s an answered
prayer; and, for the staunch
advocates, a victorious battle
won,” Slater, a Vincentian-born
drummer and story teller told
Caribbean Life. “I can almost
hear the Niabingi drums and
chants of jubilation. Rastafari
rights to the holy sacrament
marijuana, the herb is now a
forgone conclusion.
“Those who are currently
detained, or those who were
previously incarcerated, can
now sigh a breath of relief,” he
added. “Their record would be
now be expunged under the
new legislation.
“Employers and schools
would no longer treat the convicted
as criminals not worthy
of a job, or undeserving of
Continued on Page 12
By Bert Wilkinson
Many CARICOM governments,
already cash strapped
from a year of the COVID pandemic,
reduced taxes from duty
free trading in the bloc and
depressed prices for exports
would be happy to explore and
find commercial quantities of
oil and gas but the situation
is not so in The Bahamas, the
regional tourism powerhouse.
While fellow bloc member
Guyana is in its second year
as an oil exporter and producer
and as Suriname is racing
towards similar status by
2025, there is a rising tide of
opposition against state-owned
Bahamas Petroleum Company
(BPC)’s efforts to find commercial
quantities of oil and gas.
Prime Minister Hubert Minnis
this week restated his opposition
to any offshore oil drilling
in the archipelago, contending
that any accidental oil
spill could wipe out the country’s
lifeline tourism industry
and bring the state to ruins.
He, a slew of other senior cabinet
ministers and environmental
activists say the BPC is not
guaranteed any license renewal
in the coming weeks even
though the first Perseverance1-
well drilled in recent weeks
Continued on Page 12
Brooklyn community activist hails
ganja vote with some reservations
NO
RUSH
FOR OIL
Bahamaians oppose
offshore drilling
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