Bermuda must abide by international standards on cannabis
Britain could back proposed changes to the island’s cannabis laws, but only if they complied with international conventions that the sovereign land — and by extension Bermuda — has signed up to.
Andrew Murdoch, the Governor, suggested the controversial legislation might stand a chance if the Government amended the draft to comply with international laws.
In 2022, Rena Lalgie, his predecessor, reserved Royal Assent on the Cannabis Licensing Act, which she found to be “inconsistent” with what she understood to be obligations held by Britain and Bermuda under UN Conventions.
Mr Murdoch, who was appointed governor in January, praised the Progressive Labour Party government for putting forward a “carefully constructed” policy on cannabis use in its pre-election platform ahead of the February 2025 election.
However, he cautioned: “It’s really important to understand that there are really relevant international conventions, treaty instruments binding the UK in respect of cannabis.”
In an interview in March with the The Royal Gazette, David Burt, the Premier, said that the Government would be willing to redraft the 2022 legislation to get it passed by Parliament.
Mr Murdoch told the Gazette: “The UK Government has been very clear in terms of its strong views on complying with international law in all its senses, whether it’s Ukraine, Israel/Gaza.
“This is but one treaty and the starting point is that the UK Government will wish to ensure that it’s complying with its obligations.”
Mr Murdoch said the 2022 legislation was not “consistent” with those British obligations, but suggested there was room on the issue.
He added: “Does that mean it’s the end of the discussion? Well, it might be in terms of that piece of legislation, but normally there are discussions around what is the UK Government’s policy and what is the legal limit provided by international treaty — and they are not necessarily the same thing
“You can have a country adopting more stringent policy and domestic law than is required by a treaty, but you can’t go beyond the treaty.
“So the question is, if Bermuda wants to do certain things in the field of cannabis ... even if the UK hasn’t done what Bermuda is seeking to do, that is not necessarily the answer.
“The question is ... where does that hit against the limit? I think that discussion has not fully happened.
“It’s a nuanced discussion, but it’s an important one to have. The nutshell answer is there’s a space for a conversation and I very much encourage that conversation to take place.”
Andrew Murdoch said he enjoys a cordial relationship with David Burt.
The Governor added: “Obviously, I see him out and about on different occasions, which is great. The Premier can speak for himself, but I think it’s a pretty good, cordial relations.
“The role of the Premier is important, and it’s important to understand what the constitutional separations are, but it’s one of partnership and mutual respect. That’s the secret of it. That is the set-up, and you have to recognise that that is the constitutional division of responsibilities.
“I’m very conscious of what the responsibilities are of the Governor, what the Government’s are, and it doesn’t mean you can’t talk around these things in terms of areas of duplication or mutual interest.
“But there is ultimate responsibility, and that’s important.
“A lot of this is just about professional respect. The Government is elected and I’m not elected, and I recognise that, too. My role is to do the best for the people of Bermuda. That’s definitely a shared objective, so there’s always common ground.”
On the issue of the island’s attempt to explore full membership of Caricom, in which a referendum appeared off the table during a House of Assembly debate on the topic last month, Mr Murdoch echoed the Government’s position.
He said: “The next stage is a draft agreement that will come back and I think the time will be then for people to see what this looks like.
“I know that the Premier has said that there will be a full, open public consultation process on that and I think, like anything of significance, I would encourage the population to engage in that process.”
As a serving officer of the Royal Navy, wearing uniform was something that came naturally to Andrew Murdoch.
However, the all-white outfit and plumed hat that he now has to wear as the Governor of Bermuda when on ceremonial duty has made for a change.
He said: “Wearing uniform for me is not that unusual. The hat was new, I have to confess. It’s something special, it’s got a unique feel to it. There are some people who feel it’s part of the tradition, part of the ceremony.
“You’ve just got to lean into it. The whole horse-and-carriage thing — it just goes with it. These traditions that come around, you do think what’s their whole relevance, and in the UK as well there are ceremonies, but you know ... people do like their history and where it’s come from, and if you stop doing it, you will never get it back.
“That would be a shame.”
As a senior civil servant, Andrew Murdoch has had a career that has taken him across the globe.
Yet just seven months into the job as Governor of Bermuda, he confesses that he has fallen in love with his new place of residence.
As a teenager, Mr Murdoch worked on merchant ships. After taking a degree in geology at Durham University in England, the sea beckoned again, and a 20-year career in the Royal Navy followed. He also pursued a legal career.
Speaking about his time in Bermuda, Mr Murdoch said he was still familiarising himself.
He added: “When you get these types of jobs, you do the research, you talk to people. I made a short visit before I formally arrived, just to get the lay of the land a little bit, but it’s not enough to really understand this place. You have to live here to get a proper feel for the place.
“It keeps surprising me. Obviously, geographically, it’s a beautiful place — ocean, land and the like — and you get used to that quite quickly.
“The culture, the heritage, I think the more you dig, the more you find, and that’s the same with the people. The more people get to know you, the more they talk to you and tell you what they actually think, which is great.
“I’ve been pretty busy since I arrived, but I keep on getting surprised by these organisations that I haven’t heard of before.
“I’m impressed by what I’ve seen of the work going on here. You can see this place on a very superficial level. If you were on holiday, you see just one aspect of Bermuda. But the longer you stay here, you just realise there’s multiple, multiple layers. The place has its own little secrets. That’s the exciting part to the job to me — getting under the skin of the place.
“I don’t pretend I’ve got there in seven months, but I’ve got a decent feel.
“I enjoy it a lot. My background is a nautical one, so having the privilege of living right next to the sea is therapy — it’s absolutely amazing. It’s a hugely positive part of the island.”
• UPDATE: this article has been corrected to state that Ms Lalgie was Mr Murdoch’s predecessor, not successor
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