GANJA FUTURE GROWERS AND PRODUCER’S ASSOCIATION-Year in Review
Five months ago I was nominated and voted as Interim Chairman of the National Steering Committee replacing Mr. Paul Burke who had relinquished the post due to other professional and personal reasons, while retaining the post of Programme’s Director. On accepting the role as chairman I pointed to the fact that if the organization is not united in all it does we will not actually achieve that which we set out to do, have established a licit ganja industry in and for the Jamaican space. We have had very testing circumstances faced us, some occasioned by our own intended actions as we expressed verbally and circumstances arising in the local and international spaces concerning the BRAND. If I may say so, and I will, I do believe issues discussed within was necessary to help us find ourselves as an organization composed of such diverse interest represented by intelligent and determined individuals. We recognized the validity of every subject area which concerns and impacts the welfare of all Jamaicans in the near future as the Country embarks upon the journey to establish a regulated marijuana industry around the possession of small quantities and the Medical Marijuana which will facilitate cultivation. We expect to hear challenges, particularly from the U N’s international narcotics control board (INCB) of the Government’s action; the USA in the area of ensuring that Jamaica remains a strong ally in the fight against cross border drugs trafficking and organized crime; other countries wanting to maintain the status quo of the UN’s single convention on psychotropic drugs and to particularly retain cannabis as a schedule 1V drug; those that at present, really don’t believe Government will fulfill that promise, so as it happens they will be back with the refer madness hyperbole of ganja causing madness, and children will now start smoking weed, cocaine and crack use will again increase. They will not see a legal regime as helping the reduction in use and via enforcement protect our children and keep our communities safe; Some challenges are ahead, we must identify them and strategies on the way forward. Most importantly, we cannot afford to stop all to pursue the one. That we are near to having a registrable entity to be governed by a constitution and by-laws, our first challenge is that of the resolve to obey the clauses of this constitution with loyalty. Fiduciary responsibility is being placed on each of us who will hold post in the union, some will have the authority to purchase, lease and otherwise acquire property on behalf of the union and be able to sell and lease or rent these properties and collect payments from these sources and others, there will be annual auditing of the union’s accounts and use of funds, the constitution govern these actions. The BRAND and the country’s ability to protect it lies with the Government signing off on all the required IPR protocols sanctioned by the UN. No nation will readily protect Jamaica’s rights on IPR in their courts if Jamaica don’t affords their citizens the same IPR protection in Jamaica reciprocal IP convention. The cost to the individual citizen to challenge any infringement of the BRAND would be enormous. Challenge by individual citizen ought to be for infringement of their own IPR, patent or copyright. Members, you are to remember your reason for joining the organization. We all have our personal ambitions being pursued and the time is closing in fast, notwithstanding our own anxiety about where the process should be at this time. You are being encouraged to focus on that as your success is the goal of the organization. What have we – GFGP Association achieved these last five months? What was our goal? Our charge was to accelerate the pace of the advocacy, which was practically nonexistent at August 9, 2014 our first consultative meeting after the launch of the organization. The amnesty call was heard and circumvented with an order from the attorney general chambers to have the police commissioner recognized and have the force (JCF), adhere to a decree instructing that no citizen found in possession of small quantities of ganja should be arrested and taken to the police station, but instead, must be served a summon on verification of identity, and granted own bail on the spot. A remedy less than what we called for, but one that lessened, the hold of blatant harassment practiced by the police up to then. We have had some good press, as the saying goes. We called two press conferences and was invited to the Minister’s official press conference at the Cabinet’s press room, the national coat of arms raised over our heads, when he announced the approval by the Government to establish a medicinal marijuana regulatory regime for Jamaica. That same day we witness the passing of the bill to expunge form citizen’s record the charge of possession of ganja and held a press conference in front Gordon House. Locally we can say the press has found us to be respectful to media personnel and friendly. Internationally we have been recognized by the media, main stream and magazine style link up radio in the USA and the UK. As an organization we have had two meetings with the minister of Justice Hon. Mark Golding. We do believe there should always be a positive outcome to all meetings and those meetings and others I have had with him can be deemed as positive. Our advocacy was always geared at acceleration of the process and to be kept in the loop/know re developments in the stages. We could have taken to the streets and create a different scenario, one of embarrassing the government, a path I sanction but know when to use. The strategy employed was to lobby at every chance wherever and whenever the opportunity arises. Have others call the radio talk shows and using facts given by us, speak to the benefits that a regulated ganja industry has on offer. Now we must sign off on the constitution and commence serious organization in the parishes stipulated on the agenda for this meeting. The organization is very weak on the ground across Jamaica. Yes Future Growers are spoken of or at least is subject to recall when the name is mentioned, but we need to Identify parish organizers. Come on members, the union is in your own best interest organizing your parish is an historical event/process, be remembered. There are economic benefits on the horizon and we must be conscious of the fact that all our members will not be holders of licenses. What we strive to ensure is that our members are employed in the sector for their knowledge and industry, to their socioeconomic well being. The organization is looking at signing MOUs with reputable Diaspora Jamaican companies that is offering to work with the union in providing; Laboratory services at market competitive rates for testing of the THC and CBD levels and other substances. Access to and use of oil extraction machine To contract farmers to grow in greenhouses, and provide all; Greenhouse Technology Equipment with instructions in planting, cultivating and preparation of select strains. Establishing a joint venture company as an investment vehicle to be registered here in Jamaica and internationally to attract investment capital. As of January 4th 2015 a most historic day for the decriminalization for possession and use of small quantities; and the legalization of the medicinal research and development regime. On this day, a timeline was given of 68 weeks for promulgation of said law of legislation legitimizing these two regimes. We expect that by March 3rd the Governor General would have affixed his signature to these legislation effectively ushering in this new industry. Let us recommit ourselves to meet 2015 working for the establishment, in law, of all areas of the impending regime; Possession of small quantities Sacramental and Medicinal. Orville Silvera Chairman GFGPA 4 reasons to relocate your distribution center to Jamaica
Los Angeles or New York City are great places to feed the North American market, but do these locations provide opportunities for growth? From Jamaica you can distribute to a much larger market, on lower costs. The expansion of the Panama Canal from 2015 will result a never-seen transportation capacity boom between the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. The Government of Jamaica thinks: the island is at the right place at the right time to provide logistics opportunities for distributors. Panama Canal expansion: doublling capacities from 2015. Source: Panama Canal Authority. #1: A low-cost location closed to the Panama Canal When you are thinking about cross-ocean logistics, why you don't think about a Carribean distribution center? Most of the competing locations provide free trade zones, so practicly you can establish a low-cost distribution center in Jamaica outside the Jamaican tax regime. In numbers, it means Jamaican labour costs 40-60% less than North America and Europe. Costs are kept stable due to low wage inflation and currency depreciation against the dollar. Corporate taxes and duties are effectively zero for offshore companies based on Freezone incentives. Outsourcing operators in Jamaica pay 0% tax on profits in perpetuity and qualify for General Consumption Tax (Sales Tax/ Value Added Tax) exemption. #2: Large-scale logistics developments in Jamaica Building on existing air, sea and land-based resources, the Government of Jamaica is developing a Master Plan for the Logistics Hub Initiative which will comprise:
#3: Native English speaking stuff, developed global business services Jamaica is the 3rd largest English-speaking country in the Americas (after the US and Canada). Plus, a developed customer service/global business service industry supports your operation in Jamaica. The labour market opportunities, the excellent telekom infrastructure and business environment was appreciated by companies like IBM, Xerox, Fujitsu, Avaya and more. #4: Discover new markets From a Jamaican distribution center you can reach not just the North American market, but also the Latin American and Carribean (LOC) markets. And even more: the rising domestic consumption in China and the European market recovery could be managed from your Jamaican distribution center. |
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Cuba expands FDI policy with port transformation
In developing a port with a free-trade area just outside Havana, the Cuban president, Raúl Castro, appears to be implementing policies that will further unlock the Caribbean island to foreign investment.
Large areas of Havana, the capital city of Cuba, lie in a near-decrepit state, the product of half a century of hot and cold wars with the US. Yet despite the derelict surroundings, the city has enough money to keep many builders in work. This has resulted in the iconic 19th-century theatre, Teatro Martí, being restored to its former glory and, nearby, El Capitolio – an enormous domed edifice in the centre of the capital, once home to the seat of the Cuban government – is being remodelled.
More strikingly, however, at least as far as foreign investors are concerned, is what president Raúl Castro calls the island’s most important construction scheme. This is an enormous natural harbour and industrial site at Mariel, a port a few kilometres west of Havana that is better known in the country as the site where then president Fidel Castro allowed Cubans to emigrate to the US from in the late 1980s.
Sitting near the impeccable Marina Hemingway, home to a brand new paintball arena and the vast Latin American School of Medical Sciences, which sends thousands of doctors to study abroad every year, it is hoped that the port and free-trade area at Mariel will transform the Caribbean island’s economy. The site has already drawn in huge investments from Brazilian and Singaporean companies.
Signpost to the future
At the entrance to Mariel Port stands a castle-like building that once housed the Cuban naval academy. For many Cubans, it is hoped that this reminder of the past will also become a signpost to the future, as President Castro reshapes the lives of Cubans in a new regime that is freer from the restrictions favoured by his brother Fidel.
In January, Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, joined President Castro at Mariel to view the site where Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht has completed the first four births for container ships. The berths are capable of handling the world’s largest vessels, and more quays, roads and railways are approaching completion. When finished, the port – managed by PSA International of Singapore – will have a capacity of 800,000 containers a year and a 466-square-kilometre free-trade area serving the Caribbean and Latin America, with goods flowing through the newly broadened Panama Canal.
Canal plus
The improved but more expensive Panama Canal, the first stage of which should be operational later in 2014, may hold the key to Mariel's success. Danish container giant Maersk has already expressed doubts about the new Panama route, the impact of which may well hit Mariel, yet more optimistic observers believe the bigger waterway may witness a particular increase in traffic in 2016, when larger and longer locks capable of handing virtually every ship in operation in the world are inaugurated.
Perhaps as a sign of Washington’s desire for even greater trade with Cuba, which already buys much of its food from the US, the first ship to dock at the new Mariel Port was US registered and was given special freedom to avoid the usual restriction that bans vessels trading with Cuba from having any access to US ports within six months. Meanwhile, Chinese motor company Geely has announced it will soon start assembling cars at Mariel.
There is competition in the air. As President Castro said in March: “Now we’ve got to do more and better.”
This article is sourced from fDi Magazine