Agricultural Minister Duggins Studies Cannabis Plants at UWI, Jamaica to Grow Industry in St. Kitts and Nevis

Minister of Agriculture Hon. Samal Duggins, is in Jamaica on a government visit to  the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica studying plants with Dr. Machel Emanuel, the Principal Investigator of the Life Science Cannabis Research Group at UWI.

In a Facebook post, the minister said,” In a matter of weeks the Cannabis Amendment Bill comes before our Parliament for debate which will properly bring on stream our medicinal cannabis industry. As the Minister with responsibility for agriculture it is part of my duty to ensure that our cannabis growers are in the best possible position to enter and compete in this billion dollar industry,”.

He said that Dr. Emanuel gave him a comprehensive tour of the facility and that he was “absolutely blown away by the operations at UWI and his perspective on the way forward.”

He said he looks forward to presenting more information in the near future.

Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew indicated in the 2023 Appropriations Bill (2022) that the government will be rolling out a marijuana farm that will be placed at the ECO Park in Newton Ground.