Transparency in Cannabis Industry is Critical

Continuing with our focus on the Ministry of New Growth’s foray into hemp production, in early 2021 a meeting will be convened with stakeholders and other interested parties in the up and coming industry to see how policies can be implemented to guide the sector forward.  Taking a progressive approach, Minister Kareem Musa is already looking at the possibility of cannabis tourism which, once it becomes a reality, will see visitors participating in the industry as consumers of various products.  The idea, first of all, is to ensure transparency within the market.

Kareem Musa, Minister of New Growth Industries

Kareem Musa

“One of the very first steps that we will be undertaking because we don’t want to be like the former administration, is to be very open and transparent.  And so, by the middle of January to the ending of January we will be having our first virtual Zoom [meeting] with stakeholders, businesspeople, with other consultants, with other experts, so to speak, who want to get into this particular industry, who want to develop this policy.  Once that policy can be developed and can be agreed upon by all, at least a majority, we can then take that police to cabinet and thereafter take that policy to the house in the form in the form of legislation.  It is my hope that we would see the benefit of even cannabis tourism in Belize.  Just imagine for one second, the amount of cruise ships, whenever that returns, the cruise ships that come into our harbor, it’s over a million people a year.  Imagine those people coming off of those ships actually engaging in cannabis tourism, the amount of revenue that can be generated for Belize.  And so we have to find ways to make this not just a productive sector that can generate revenue for the country but also an industry that could provide jobs for all of the people who have been affected by this cannabis industry in the past.  There are so many people that are imprisoned because of cannabis and so we have to find ways for those particular people, the most marginalized people to benefit from this industry.  So leading the way forward, we’re going to have to be very creative and very innovative in coming up with a policy that works for Belize.”