In St Vincent and the Grenadines, cannabis is grown mainly on the mountains surrounding La Soufriere Volcano, which is currently is in an effusive eruption phase.
As a result of this eruption, growers have been asked , for their own safety, to vacate the surrounding areas , leaving unattended thousands of dollars worth of produce in which they have invested, following the passage of an amnesty law, which makes it legal for them to grow their ganja and to sell it to licensed purchasers
“It is as if we have been struck with a double dose of poison” says one farmer.” “First, it was Covid . Everybody else get some kind of Stimulus, except the ganja man and his family”.
Interestingly, traditional growers welcomed the Amnesty because they see it as an opportunity to transition from their illicit and unsustainable economic activities to more stable and sustainable ways. They have gone the extra mile by crediting and borrowing monies from friends and relatives for this venture.
Suddenly, up comes the Volcano, impacting upon them more than anyone else.
The Cannabis Revival Committee, CRC, is therefore calling on the government, and also, the Parliamentary Opposition, and concerned Vincentians for their support, to allow traditional cultivators to move their stored cannabis to more secured and safer grounds, without it being seized by the police, bearing in mind, the nature of the Amnesty, as well as growers livelihood
YOU CANT ALLOW US TO GROW, REAP IT, AND THEN SEIZE IT.
President
Junior Spirit Cottle
