Jamaica gifts cannabis seeds to revive decimated industry in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

From left: Mr. Robert Wright, Director of Pure Jamaican Limited and the Gi Life Foundation; Dr. Jerrol Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of the Medical Cannabis Authority for St. Vincent and The Grenadines; Dr. Machel Emanuel, Lecturer/Researcher, Department of Life Sciences, the University of the West Indies.

Pure Jamaican, through its Gi Life Farm in Jamaica, donates 10,000 premium cannabis seeds to the country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to re-establish cannabis production after devastating La Soufriere Volcano. 

In what he terms a “true humanitarian gesture”, Dr. Machel Emanuel of Dominica, Principal Investigator of the Life Science Cannabis Research Group at the University of the West Indies, joined Pure Jamaican’s Gi Life Farm and Master Grower Ed Rosenthal, and Benjamin Lind of Humboldt Seed Company in the production of feminized cannabis seeds specially adapted for production in an equatorial climate.

A donation of 10,000 of these seeds has been presented to The Medicinal Cannabis Authority (MCA) of St. Vincent by Pure Jamaican. This marks not only the first legal export of cannabis material from Jamaica to another CARICOM country but is especially significant because of the projected effect on the livelihood of cannabis growers on the island.

St Vincent and the Grenadines has a long history of commercial cannabis cultivation going back to the 1970s, due to the ideal volcanic conditions in the mainland interior as well as several unpopulated smaller islands. With the process of national decriminalization beginning in 2018, the country had been poised for the continuing development of global medical cannabis production and research. However, the recent La Soufriere volcanic eruption, which destroyed many of the varieties found in the country, has threatened the trajectory of the industry.

The Pure Jamaican Group describes itself as a  collective of “revolutionary” cannabinoid companies, with a team spanning the US, Canada, Jamaica, Mexico, and Israel. In keeping with the mission statement of “[helping] people and populations achieve well-being, and to transform lives globally”, CEO and Co-Founder Scott Cathcart expressed his hope that this gift to St. Vincent and the Grenadines would create a tremendous economic opportunity for the country amidst the increasing awareness of what cannabis offers to the world.

In fact, the aim is to stimulate growth not only in SVG but the entire CARICOM region, remarked Diane Edwards, President of Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO). Edwards went on to praise the particularly high cultivation standards of Pure Jamaica and Dr. Machel Emanuel, certain to be a boon to SVG’s cultivators and the country’s industry moving forward. 

Echoing that sentiment, Dr. Jerrol Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of SVG’s MCA, noted that not only does the historic gift signify an upgrade in the quality of seeds available to SVG growers, but voiced his wish that this generosity would serve as an inspiration and an example to the rest of the world; a demonstration of unity from Kingston to Kingstown.

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9 Comments

  1. Geo farmer
    September 25, 2021

    Legalize it Skerritt legalize marijuana let us do business, OUR farmers been waiting. Quit keeping US poor and broke is not hoteliers alone to make a living, we don’t want to serve tourists and make their beds we need to make our own beds and do BUSINESS.

  2. 😀
    September 24, 2021

    Skerrit boy, ask ur “partner in crime” how he doing so well with “the herb” in Vincy

  3. Waiting For Airport
    September 24, 2021

    Meantime Skerrit making sure Dominicans stay brokes by not legalising. And as usual, docile Dominicans accepting that smh

    • derp
      September 24, 2021

      well they rolling over and having him rub their bellies so they must like it

  4. %
    September 24, 2021

    Liar Skerrit is not interested in having the ordinary man produce industrial cannabis, because that will eventually cause him to be independent. Liar Skerrit opted instead to make it legal that people have small portions of “the grass”. The result is frighting, because on all street corners, young men in particulsr, are seen with scissors cutting weed, smoking, cursing even sharing joints to drive their sorrows ( unemployment and otherwise) away..
    Skerrit is not interested in anything that will not push his political agenda.. Remenber (liar Skerrit), the buffoon, wanted to ridicule Honourable Linton who was for industrial marijuana, when he said honourable Linton returned from the USA smelling marijuana. Dominica has spawned so many brilliant minds, i often ask myself how did we end up with this dimwit as Prime Minister!!

    • %
      September 24, 2021

      The result is frightening, because on all street corners, young men in particular………..

      • Just asking
        September 25, 2021

        So what’s your point? You all curse Skeritt and each other, if you don’t smoke you don’t smoke, nothing to do with weed being legal. You don’t like Skeritt doesn’t mean they shouldn’t smoke weed, you-all smoke tobacco legally and don’t get PUNISHED don’t you?

  5. Agnita
    September 24, 2021

    So Proud of Dr. Machel Emanuel son of Dominican parents Francis Emanuel and Jacqui Emanuel.

  6. PRO
    September 24, 2021

    Yet again, Dominica last

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