Other Questions Should be Included in Upcoming Referendum

Kareem Musa

A budget is yet to be created to fund the expenses associated with the cannabis referendum. That responsibility lies with the ministries of Finance and Public Service, however, the Minister of New Growth Industries says that other national issues should be included in the referendum.

Kareem Musa, Minister of New Growth Industries

“None has been set as yet.  I have heard figures tossed around.  I think the ICJ referendum cost the government somewhere in the vicinity of three million [dollars] and above. I’m hoping that we don’t spend even close to that, but that is something that certainly the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Public Service will have to come together to identify a budget for this particular referendum and I would even advocate to use the opportunity to put other issues, other possibly controversial issues on this referendum.  It certainly is a good time for us to get the take from the Belizean people on issues like the monarchy.  Do we still want to stick with the monarchy?  That’s something that I would like to see on a referendum as well.  So we could use this as an opportunity to put other issues on there as well.”

We attempted to get a comment from the National Evangelical Association of Belize but were told that they are reserving comment until a writ of referendum has been issued by Governor General Tzalam.