Minister of state in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce Dr. Norman Dunn has assured the Opposition that the Government is determined to protect Jamaican farmers willing to participate in the growth and development of the cannabis (ganja) industry for export.
Dr. Dunn was responding to questions tabled by the leader of Opposition business in the House of Representatives, Anthony Hylton, and which were followed up by Opposition Leader Mark Golding at Tuesday's sitting of the House.
Dunn urged legislators to take note of Prime Minister Andrew Holness' personal response in the recent budget debate about the future of the local cannabis industry following reports that industry players were upset that Canada — which allows in only six percent of Jamaican cannabis exports duty-free — could be granted permission to export much larger quantities to Jamaica.
"You would have noticed that the prime minister, in his closing of the debate, mentioned... how strongly he felt about the issue of the survival of small players in the [local] industry," Dunn stated. "So, the fact that the prime minister has openly said it is a similar understanding that you have. We do appreciate the fact that it is an industry that has tremendous potential when you actually stop using the word potential and derive the benefit from it," Dunn said.
Read more at jamaicaobserver.com