The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

A SENIOR official from the Rastafarian community claims police have been targetting Rastafarians despite the passage of cannabis legislation that legalises use of the drug for religious purposes.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe expressed surprise at his comments, saying that when he had previously met senior police officials, they had agreed to leave the community alone, given the government’s intentions.

He acknowledged that if the cannabis legislation has not yet come into force, Rastafarians could still face penalties under existing laws. He pledged to look into the matter.

Prophet Jah Mickey Bowe, who sits on the Executive Council of the House of Rastafari, claimed the community continues to face harassment and discrimination.

“The legislation is there, but we don’t have a law,” he said. “People are still being arrested and taken to court for cannabis.”

“It comes like, because this is the last days of illegal cannabis, the police force went triple time on us.”

He said community members are forced to live with “a small fear” due to inconsistent enforcement.

The proposed Cannabis Authority is expected to oversee the industry, but the wait to establish the board has left Rastafarians in a legal limbo. Mr Bowe said that while legislation mandates a Rastafarian representative on the Authority’s board, the government has yet to finalise its membership.

“We sent our recommendations, including a candidate supported by the community, but we haven’t had any meaningful follow-up,” he said.

He also highlighted other examples of disrespect that Rastafarians face in public institutions, such as the cutting of locs for incarcerated Rastafarians, which he described as a violation of their religious beliefs.

“We’ve agitated far enough to get them to stop cutting your locs on remand, but long as you’re sentenced, they cut your locs,” he said. “So a sentenced person gets his locs cut.”

This disregard for Rastafarian practices, Mr Bowe said, reflects systemic biases that extend beyond the cannabis issue.

“It feels like our culture is not respected at the same level as others,” he said, pointing to dietary challenges faced by Rastafarians in prison as another example.

Despite these challenges, the House of Rastafari remains proactive in its advocacy. For 2025, Jah Mickey outlined the Rastafarians’ plans to expand community initiatives, including mentorship programmes and cooperative ventures in agriculture and manufacturing. These efforts aim to strengthen the community while also addressing broader societal challenges.

“We’re working on a cooperative to unite the community under one market,” Mr Bowe said. “You’ll see us bringing more holistic cannabis products to the table.”