Churches Say Referenda Are Empowered By the Constitution, Not the Cabinet

Church representatives say that it is important for people to know that on issues of this magnitude, it is the constitution, not the cabinet that empowers this process.

Pastor Louis Wade

Pastor Louis Wade, NEAB Task Force Representative

“There appears to be the need for education because there is active disinformation, such as: it’s too late, or this issues – they should have done this or that before – and I think that those spoken words have infiltrated the society, where a few people that would have additionally signed on, they have become a little bit hesitant because they think that it is, like what the Minister said, too little too late. I think it is important for all; including the media, to remind people that there is a Referendum Act, specifically for issues and that that Referendum Act can be triggered on any issue at all, as long as the signatures qualify and you get that ten percent. So this is a democratic process and I am glad that hundreds of young people across the nation are now familiarizing themselves with this powerful tool. Judges have signed, police officers have signed, even though they were told that they ought not to, teachers, principals, we see that bankers have signed, as I said, very powerful political persons, previous mayors across political lines, previous Ministers have signed, all saying exactly the same thing – that the people should have a voice in the legalization of marijuana issue. The Opposition first of all abstained from the vote […] so this exclusively came from the People’s United Party […] to help secure the number of […] help secure the number of petitions that are needed.