As tensions continue to rise between cannabis advocates and law enforcement in Saint Lucia, newly appointed Minister for Commerce, Dr Ernest Hilaire, has acknowledged the growing frustration among cultivators while maintaining that existing laws must be enforced until new legislation is passed.
Earlier this month, Interim President of the Herbal Cooperative, Andre de Caires, publicly called on authorities to honour longstanding commitments to fully legalise cannabis.
His comments followed what he described as an increase in police action against local growers, including recent cannabis eradication exercises carried out by the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force.
De Caires has argued that these operations unfairly target farmers and undermine years of policy dialogue surrounding cannabis reform and the anticipated Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Bill.
Addressing the issue this week, Dr Hilaire said he understood and shared many of the concerns raised by advocates but stressed that the legal position remains unchanged for now.
“I agree with him, I think it’s a very fair concern that is expressed, but the law is still the law, and currently it is still illegal to cultivate,” Hilaire said.
He added that the broader policy direction should also be taken into account.
“You’d want to believe that his point has a lot of value, that if we are moving into this direction, maybe one should be a little more understanding of the broader context.”
The Commerce Minister said the prolonged journey towards cannabis reform has been difficult for stakeholders who have been operating in anticipation of legislative change.
“I shared a lot of his frustration, understanding the journey that has taken us to where we are going to accelerate the work that has started because that’s the intention and let’s make it work,” he stated.
At the same time, Hilaire defended the actions of the police, noting that they are obligated to uphold the law as it currently stands.
“I understand the police: if it’s illegal, then it’s illegal, and if they want to crack down on it, they’re fully entitled by law to crack down on it,” he said. “So, the police are not wrong, you know, the police, they’re not wrong.”
However, he questioned the timing and intensity of enforcement actions given the proximity of expected legislative changes.
“You put it in a broader context, you know, and you act accordingly,” Hilaire said. “You want to understand by next month it would probably be fully legal to cultivate, so why such action?”
The comments come as pressure mounts for the government to finalise and pass the Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Bill, which advocates say is essential to providing legal clarity, protecting farmers, and transitioning the sector into a regulated industry.
Until then, Dr Hilaire reiterated that while empathy and context are important, the current legal framework remains in force, leaving both growers and law enforcement operating in an increasingly strained environment.