Getting Into Ganja
Getting any one or a combination of the many licensees to
participate in Jamaica's nascent marijuana(ganja) industry calls for big bucks,
as prices start at US$2,500 (approximately J$315,000). However, chairman of the
Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA), Hyacinth Lightbourne, is adamant that
Jamaica must not make the mistake of having a lax regulatory regime, as this
would put the country in a bad position regarding its international obligations.
“This has to be a heavily regulated industry, and heavy
regulations cost money" What is this money for and where will it go. It is
my view that these bureaucrats and lawyers are heading to most expensively
regulate Jamaica out of the ganja business. Can you imagine a small farmer
coming up with approximately JA$250000 for a cultivators license. This
decriminalization may turn out to be one of the worst nightmares for the
traditional ganja farmers. One thing will lead to another because a small
planter in the hills needs money and that is why he plants ganja but you tax him
before he starts he/she is going to do business as usual without the requisite
regulators input so now you have a Ganja Authority Enforcers running down
farmers in the bush with confrontations right left and centre or that the
regulations are unenforceable and the authorities turn a blind eye and
unregulated business as usual or the original planters just abandon ganja
business to the more wealthy of the local and global society. The process
sounds too complex, simplicity and not too much expense makes for easier
compliance. The CLA and the government must think on these things then act
appropriately or is anyone going to listen and act according to Peter Tosh who
in song said “legalize it and I will advertize it”. I am adamant that too much
regulation in the industry will destroy what is left of it and marginalize
people who operated before regulation if it survives.. 23/06/16
Another Fatal Crash
Another fatal crash on the Llandovery main road in St Ann claimed the lives of three people
Tuesday night. Five others died as a result of injuries they received earlier
this month, when the bus they were travelling crashed and overturned.This
piece of road seems from reputation very dangerous. I have known personally
some who have died over the years. I believe it mainly has to do with faulty
road design and all the authorities’ response is to increase fines and to blame
motorists for everything that happens. It’s not all speeding and defective
vehicles as they say, so the appropriate persons must be mandated to a proper
forensic investigation into these accidents and act based on findings. I advise
motorists travelling between St Ann's Bay and Falmouth to drive carefully as I
find it most dangerous and mentally taxing. In addition that some motorists in
that region drive like they are riding racing donkeys in the bush disregarding
road signs and markings. All across Jamaica the road code literature is either
unknown or irrelevant so one solution is to add it to the integrated syllabus
in schools so that even if they buy licenses the road code is known and
understood and applied. So whether you walk, drive, ride bicycles, mule, horse,
donkeys or cows we all on the same page commuting resulting in less chaos and
accidents. 23/06/16
That road has taken the lives of so many over the past 2
decades or more is unbelievable some of whom I know personally. I believe
faulty road design is a factor and must be investigated and addressed promptly.
This fixation on speeding and rush to increase traffic fines I find myopic and
intellectually dishonest in some instances. 23/06/16
Investment in Agriculture
"Capital investment in agriculture has declined over
the years significantly affecting production." Add to that Mr. Campbell
the importation of cheaper foods e.g. red peas, onions, chicken, fish etc
valuing billions of dollars. What passes for agriculture for the most part Mr.
Campbell is subsistence farming that is farming to enhance or feed families and
their income. Making Agriculture mandatory in all high schools is not the way
to go. Making it available as a subject in schools that have the facility and
space to do so(infrastructure) because doing so will make the subject come
alive.
Does Ferncourt High School, Jamaica College, Cornwall
College, Wolmers or Kingston College have the infrastructure/land to do so?
Doing Agriculture in a vacuum is like doing literature. Jamaica does not have
the amount of arable land to make commercial agriculture a really viable and
cost effective endeavor for thousands of people. We could concentrate on areas
however where we have an advantage like coffee, cocoa, pimento etc.23/06/16
Local Government Minister
Minister of
Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, has suggested
that accessing benefits from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility
(CCRIF) should be addressed. To date Jamaica has paid out in excess of Ja$3
billion since 2007 and has not benefitted even in one instance because of how
stringent the requirements are in order to benefit. Not even the damage
inflicted by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 was sufficient to trigger an insurance
payout,” the minister said.One writer compared our negotiating
politicians to our good innovative and frugal higglers who spend
their own money, sell their own things, finance their own well being and
negotiate beneficial deals they are not stressing out Jamaica. They
are hardworking honest and independent people. Many of us know better than that
and would not even imply in any way because in the 70s-80s era of foreign
exchange (F/E )shortage higglers took things abroad yams, breadfruit, dasheen
and you name it earned foreign exchange imported well needed goods from
Cayman, Panama, Curacao, United States, UK and Canada to be sold. Are you aware
that it was higglers that supported many stores some big ones today to stay
afloat and have goods to sell during that period? This kind of beneficial
import export model should be encouraged alongside the large scale big man
thing a way of deepening the economic process. 23/06/16
Ganja
The police
say they have seized a large quantity of ganja and several thousand dollars
during an operation in St Elizabeth on Tuesday.Wait! How this
make news! This looks like backward move in the light of decriminalization
seems to be confusing people and a trap to get people arrested. By the way what
charge is this "storing ganja without the appropriate tier license”,
"preparing ganja to transport without a license", what? All the judge
need to do if it reaches court is give them time to get the appropriate
licenses for whatever their intention. A level of reeducation of the police
needs to take place immediately in this new dispensation of ganja laws. Ganja
operators must be able to put up a sign reading. “It is my
intention to apply for the appropriate ganja tier license at the next sitting
of the licensing authority” 23/06/16
Venezuela
News has
emerged that Venezuela is interested in improving its rocky relations with the
United States, and hopes President Barrack Obama will "rectify" US
policy toward the crisis-torn South American country, its president Nicolas
Maduro said Wednesday is good news.Maduro is learning "if you can’t
beat them join them" it’s not too late as the sweet syrup of capitalism is
flowing globally communist china is drinking, Russia is having regular drinks,
Cuba is tasting, North Korea is nauseating and Jamaica is dancing in it.
Venezuelans are good people take some advice given by the Hon Marcus Garvey our
first national hero "capitalism to date is the most productive social and
economic system known to man and only a fool would oppose it" Man study
the thing and tweak it to suit yourselves don't get in any fight with the USA
embrace them as friends as they control the Global capitalist system make use
of their wealthy markets and urge the formation of a new free trade block with
you included in Caricom. Come Maduro "mek wi teach you a thing or two
patois included, have a free trade agreement with Jamaica now you will learn
faster". "Hablamos en espanol pequeno" ie we speak little Spanish.23/06/16
This has to
be a heavily regulated industry, and heavy regulations cost money"
According to Ms Hyacinth Lightbourne chairman of the Cannabis Licensing
Authority (CLA).What is this money for and where will it go. It is my view that
these bureaucrats and lawyers are heading to most expensively regulate Jamaica
out of the ganja business. Can you imagine a small farmer coming up with appr
JA$250000 for a cultivators license. This decriminalization may turn out to be
one of the worst nightmares for the traditional ganja farmers. One thing will
lead to another because a small planter in the hills needs money and that is
why plant ganja but you tax him before he starts he/she is going to do business
as usual without the requisite regulators input so now you have a Ganja
Authority Enforcers running down farmers in the bush with confrontations right
left and centre or that the regulations are unenforceable and the authorities
turn a blind eye and unregulated business as usual or the originals just
abandon ganja business to the more wealthy of the society. The process sounds
too complex simplicity and not too much expense makes for easier
compliance.20/06/16
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