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BABASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (May 2, 2025) — The Terrance Drew-led St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) administration is once again in the national hot seat — this time over what many are calling an outrageous and discriminatory fee structure for cannabis cultivation licenses.

The new licensing framework, unveiled with great fanfare, appears to be more of a barrier than a gateway for local participation in the cannabis industry. Under the current structure, prospective cultivators must first pay a $1,500 EC application fee, and if approved, fork over an additional license fee ranging from $3,000 EC to $60,000 EC, depending on the size of their operation:

• Tier 1 (Up to 10,000 sq. ft.): $3,000
• Tier 2 (10,001 – 22,000 sq. ft.): $10,000
• Tier 3 (22,001 sq. ft. to 1 acre): $20,000
• Tier 4 (1 – 3 acres): $30,000
• Tier 5 (3 – 5 acres): $50,000
• Tier 6 (5+ acres): $60,000

These licenses are valid for just three years, meaning cultivators must keep paying to stay in the business — a move many say will lock out ordinary Kittitians and Nevisians, especially those from historically marginalized communities.

Former government minister and veteran social commentator Dwyer Astaphan has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the policy. He called in to FREEDOM FM’s Friday Afternoon programme with Sam Condor, Dr. PATRICK Martin and special Guest Cannabis Board Chair and Czar Attorney Jihan Williams-Kinight. Astaphan strongly believes that the license fees are not only exploitative but fundamentally unjust, particularly given the long history of persecution suffered by Rastafari communities for their spiritual use of cannabis. Astaphan has consistently advocated for cannabis cultivation to be accessible and affordable — especially for locals — and has expressed his view that foreign investors should not be allowed to dominate the sector.

His position is clear and uncompromising: “I do not feel locals should have to pay to participate in this new industry. Foreigners should be totally excluded!”

Observers and activists alike have echoed these sentiments, calling the licensing framework a slap in the face to those who fought — and suffered — for the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis. They argue that instead of righting past wrongs, the Drew administration is compounding them by turning cannabis cultivation into a luxury only the wealthy or well-connected can afford.

Furthermore, critics have blasted the government’s apparent preference for grand announcements and ribbon-cutting ceremonies while ordinary citizens continue to be arrested and charged for cannabis possession — even as a so-called “Medicinal Cannabis Authority” is supposedly being implemented.

The glaring disconnect between promises and practice is once again fueling frustration across the Federation, with many accusing the administration of hijacking a once-promising opportunity for national empowerment and turning it into a cash cow for insiders and outsiders alike.

In the words of one frustrated grassroots advocate: “They said legalization would liberate us. But instead, they’ve built a gate, slapped a $60,000 price tag on it, and handed the key to foreigners.”