Orderly development of hemp industry ‘without abuse’ by mid-year – Jagdeo

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo last week reiterated the government’s commitment to facilitating the planting and production of industrial hemp in Guyana.

Also last week, during a meeting with representatives from the Guyana Hemp Industries, the Vice President reportedly gave a promise that the first hemp seed could be planted in Guyana by March 2022.

But in his own words, Jagdeo said the government’s assurance is to ensure the orderly development of hemp without abuse.

“I see a lot of talk has been about hemp and yes, we are now working on legislation to ensure we have a highly regulated sector,” Jagdeo said while urging those who have been approaching him in recent months to allow the law to be debated and passed first.

“I see everybody representing the hemp industry now and we had a flood of people coming to us,” the Vice President told a recent news conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

But according to Co-Chair of Guyana Hemp Industries (GHI) Michael Kirton, Dr. Jagdeo has assured that the legalisation of industrial hemp in Guyana will be a reality by March this year.

Jagdeo has also noted that the East Berbice Corentyne (Region Six) and Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice (Region 10) will be the first two regions that cultivation and procession will be undertaken.

The delegation that met with the Vice President was led by GHI President Verman Bedessee.

Relating the outcome of that meeting, Kirton said the Vice President related that an overseas based hemp company is willing to undertake the processing of this profitable crop.

He said both GHI and the government were excited about the prospects for large scale job creation in the new industry.

In January, Attorney General Anil Nandlall said that in keeping with the government’s principled commitment to implement a Bill to allow for the planting of industrial hemp in Guyana, that piece of legislation will also make its way to the National Assembly this year.

“We have a Bill but work has to be done on it. Policy guidance has to be given to the drafter and we are in the process of receiving that guidance.”

Nandlall had said he sees the planting of the first hemp seed in Guyana this year.

The Guyana Hemp Industries, the company behind the unrelenting activism for the legalisation and production of industrial hemp in Guyana, has declared 2022 the ‘year for hemp production in Guyana.’

After more than five years of dedicated and serious lobbying and millions of dollars spent on spreading awareness, the company is well assured that the production of hemp in Guyana will be achieved this year.