Political continuity determines that no hemp will be planted here

Sep 08, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

Two months after a July 13 Newsroom article, “After years of advocacy, Cabinet green- lights Guyana Hemp Industry (GHI)”, I can picture Michael Kirton, co- chair of GHI, once more losing his optimism, probably salivating on his words – “The battle to legalise industrial hemp in Guyana has come to an end,” to Newsroom. Kirton saw the end of the battle on what could at best be described as the “silencing of the lambs”- a dismissive excuse that Guyana Hemp industry has received Cabinet’s “no objection” from the VP.
Is there a hemp policy out in the public domain or secretly being discussed by the hierarchy of the PPP? I think not. I haven’t seen or heard Nandlall mention anything about a “regulatory framework”, which he had promised the hemp enthusiasts several moons ago. Despite the Cabinet’s “no objection” from the VP, the article stated that a Government source said that “full approval will be given shortly” and before that happens, “there will need to be legislative changes.” This is contradictory language and doesn’t augur well for GHI. The hemp people are being duped into believing a lie?
Successive regimes have shied away from allowing Guyanese farmers to cultivate Industrial hemp despite over 30 countries doing so, based on recent research that declassified hemp from the international convention’s list of psychoactive drugs. I am inclined to think that both the PPP and PNC Governments, for fear of political repercussions from the US, have stymied efforts to cultivate hemp here because the US narco watchdog, the DEA, has been pressuring them to not allow the cultivation of hemp here. The DEA has refused to exempt hemp from its list of psychoactive drugs, despite recently accepted research that shows that hemp’s two percent THC cannot produce a high, because of the smouldering effect of its high cannabinoid content.
The PPP Government, like the PNC Government, will not allow hemp to be planted here, because it sees hemp cultivation here as a sucker punch to their political longevity – Kirton and the hemp people can take that to the bank. The article suggested that Mr. Kirton contemplated the setting up of an “agency that would monitor the industry in terms of licensing, taxes, and the likes.”Why would Kirton contemplate taxes for the state whilst the state by virtue of the Government has volunteered through contract to pay the taxes for a contractor that is making billions from our resources offshore?
Kirton pegged hemp’s profitability “at $6 million from every acre of hemp every 90 – 100 days.” Anil has a penchant for delivering on his promise, with Kirton’s price tag one would have expected him to be fleet-footed in delivery. The fact that he has stalled on his promise to the hemp enthusiasts reeks of political convenience – bowing to the dictates of the US. Read between the lines folks! If the Government is serious about its promise of delivering wealth to the people, giving the people the opportunity to create wealth for themselves through the cultivation of hemp is the easiest way to go, political longevity matters more to our leaders.

Yours respectfully,
Rudolph Singh

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