St Vincent and the Grenadines says it’s is on the brink of becoming a globally leading producer of organically certified medicinal cannabis, rivaling any other producer in the entire Western Hemisphere. It says the expected passing of legislation this month, ensuring tightly regulated guidelines, positions the nation as a powerful Caribbean hub for global medicinal cannabis innovation.

Minister of Agriculture, Industry, Fisheries, Forestry, Labour and Rural Transformation Sabato Caesar said the industry had the potential to positively transform rural livelihoods and communities while changing the lives of of those who suffer from medical conditions that are unresponsive to other treatments.

The production of cannabis for medicinal purposes provides an excellent opportunity for Small Island States to further diversify possibilities for farmers to secure sustainable livelihoods,” he said. Minister Caesar said the Government would have more to say with passing of legislation, putting the worlds investors on notice of the top 30 benefits for investing in the country.

These include: a tropical climate ideal for extra low-cost ‘outdoor’ cannabis production; over 50 years of experience in cannabis cultivation; more than 2,000 traditional cannabis farmers; availability of arable lands; unique strains of domestically produced cannabis available for scientific research and development; the likelihood of cannabis being VAT exempted since it is an agricultural commodity; an established national bio-pesticide, bio-fertilizer production platform to support organic cannabis production; accessibility to medicinal cannabis healthcare products and services; international air and sea port connections; and an exotic tourism location, with 32 islands and cays, and over a quarter million cruise ship passenger visits forecast for 2019.

The government said those advantages have put St Vincent and the Grenadines on a solid platform to launch its medical cannabis programme.