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By Warren Bertram
Dr. Andre Haughton, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics at The University of the West Indies, Mona, has said the announcement of the importation of cannabis from Canada is a signal of the inadequate work being done in the local industry.
The shipment, he said, was akin to Germany importing BMWs from Jamaica.
Dr. Haughton argued that if the cannabis imported was as a result of the local product not being up to international standards, then the problem lies with how the industry has been governed and regulated since its inception.
He said the local authority should have ensured the "right standards" as well as ethical considerations were in place for Jamaican companies to enable them to meet international benchmarks.
According to Dr. Haughton, too much attention has being paid to policing the industry instead of building the capacity of those involved and providing the necessary regulatory and other support in terms of how facilities are designed and how companies cater to their staff.
Dr. Machel Emanuel, lecturer in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of the West Indies, said there could be a variety of reasons for the government's decision to allow the importation of cannabis from Canada.
He questioned whether the shipment was for scientific purposes, commercial activity, processing or another reason.
Dr. Emanuel said an explanation is needed so as to better determine if the importation is a threat or boost to the local industry.
He noted that the possibility exists the cannabis imported will be used to support production and allow Jamaica to then export and earn.
"I do know in order to produce pharmaceutical grade medicine, the cannabis must come from a certified cultivation site, meeting, certain ethical and moral standards, cultivate and environmental standards, and so on. So it's been quite difficult for local private companies to really meet that level of investment and infrastructure and human competence to meet those requirements," he admitted.
Dr. Emanuel and Dr. Haughton were speaking on Radio Jamaica's Beyond The Headlines on Thursday.
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