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.
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.
