Premier requests weekly meetings with UK for marijuana legislation
Premier Andrew Fahie said the Virgin Islands has requested regular meetings with the United Kingdom government to expedite the approval of the medicinal marijuana legislation that was passed in the House of Assembly all the way back in July of 2019.
“To further the process of getting the legislation assented to, your government has requested weekly meetings with the UK on this matter so we can expeditiously come to the common ground needed to bring closure to this matter and allow the legislation to finally be assented to by the governor,” the Premier said speaking at a media session last Friday.
Fahie noted the medicinal marijuana industry is a billion-dollar industry worldwide and the Virgin Islands can claim a portion of the revenue generated once the legislation is approved and operations begin.
“This is a potentially new revenue earner for this territory and no further unnecessary delays can be afforded. We have commenced having meetings with the UK and your government will do everything to keep this meeting moving forward so that the Virgin Islands people can have their medicinal marijuana industry so we can create jobs and other opportunities for our people as well as create new entrepreneurs,” Fahie added.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley said the government has put a lot of thinking in the marijuana industry and it is not done in isolation.
He said the government has already identified land at Paraquita Bay for cannabis cultivation once the legislation gets approved.
Just last month, St Vincent and the Grenadines, a member of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) which BVI is a member of, was granted permission to export medical marijuana. St. Vincent became the first OECS member state to be granted permission to export its marijuana product for medicinal purposes.
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mehson go sddung
We can’t even feed ourselves but we going find fertile land on this little 2 × 4 island to grow marijuana for export and compete with the big boys in the rest of the Caribbean and the wider world. Sigh.
This can be done in a shed with some lights and hydroponics.
Premier, how we laugh!
I’ll summarize what the BVI gets:
Effectively, possession of up to 1 gramme is decriminalized (don’t roll your spliff to large). Up to 50 grammes with a medical declaration. Above that you’re a trafficker.
You get a new entity and Board under the VIRGIN ISLANDS CANNABIS LICENSING AUTHORITY (BVILove those, with a specific provision for consultants, cuz why not).
You get enhanced criminal penalties, even if you’re a medical user. Get caught smoking in public, 3 to 10 years (even though it won’t be enforced, so much for social justice).
Import/Export fees presumably go to the government. Lots of other opportunities for fees which I’m sure will be created. Hmm, but where does that money go? Hint, its acronym is VICLA (you know, to do what they do).
Tons of provisions for useless bureaucracy and jobs to do busywork (great for entrepreneurial spirit, plenty of places for kickbacks and jobs?).
“Cultivation shall be limited to 50 acres in Paraquita Bay” (for all those who think you’ll get to grow, sorry you’re not part of the club).
Minister grants all licenses (awesome, I guess everyone knows whose name to write on the brown paper bag).
About St Vincent and the Grenadines, their 2018 legislation is more comprehensive than the BVI’s (good job on using copy and paste though). Perhaps that’s how they got it done.
He makes many weep.
Can we just get the stuff legalized first before we make gazillions growing and selling it to others?
Reads like a script for lots of free plane rides to the UK for these ‘weekly’ meetings. Why would any sane person want to travel to Great Britain in February?
The Queen don’t want to see Andrew so I don’t know who he meeting with LOL. He think she ain’t hear he like to tell untruths.
Any step forward is a step in the right direction but they obviously have little exposure to the industry globally otherwise they would allow for limited home cultivation which creates its own hobbyist industry similar to Canada, the United States and many other countries.
Persons are unhappy with the hypocritical idea of government going from arresting people to gate keeping cultivation to themselves for profit.
What you grow for yourself will always be better than what you get at the market same goes for herbal medicine.
Up to four plants on private land…adult use at home allowed..Up to 52 g decrimilized..50$ fine.Smoking in public..fine or community service.Lots of people selling edibles..smoothies etc,