Part 2

Ganja Monopoly-Corporate Enslavement and Food Insecurity 

By Kwame Nkosi Romeo

"People who treat other people as less

than humans must not be surprised when

the bread they have cast on the waters

comes floating back to them, poisoned"

James Baldwin

Part 1 

The ALP government uses legislation to protect politicians' interests in select businesses, considered a Conflict Of Interest (COI) and in sync to destroy local businesses.

Part 2

ALP's corrupt policy eventually pauperizes the country. The OECD identifies government ministers as representing 59% of COI. Customarily, COI limits local people's involvement in businesses such as wholesale and retail trade, electricity and gas, human health, information and communication, transportation and storage, and construction. 

Presumably, Grow Antigua cannabis is licensed to retail for medical and recreational use in connection with the formality of deals since every customer can claim "a qualifying medical condition.". At the same time, control of that sector is exclusive as stated in the Antigua Hemp Bill. 

This bill clearly outlines that similar business outlets will not be allowed 10 miles within Grow Antigua. A disempowering tactic to prohibit local empowerment, identical to the ALP giving away concessions solely to affluent businesses while taxing the lowest and low income and now unable to extend stimulus to people in need of such incentives.

On May 6, 2021, National Security Minister (NSM) Steadroy Benjamin deferred legislation relating to Hemp and Ganja growing simultaneously, suggesting technical advice concerning cross-pollination, which would lead to contamination. 

No simultaneous production of marijuana, hemp in Antigua - New York Carib News (nycaribnews.com)

Before then, 'Massa' Moody-Stuart dictated to the 

ALP bought and sold politicians: "We will not be growing Hemp.." while calling attention to Hemp's high water usage was disingenuous to recent research: 

".. a Cannabis plant consumes an estimated 22.7 liters or 6 gallons of water per day during the growing season, typically 150 days.."

The report evidence Ganja uses more water per plant: "Growing high-THC cannabis uses more water per plant.." Still, contrary opinions persist. In the chorus, ALP legislated the Antigua Hemp Bill (2021) without knowing the distinction between Ganja and Hemp and that water usage varies accordingly. (Cannabis requires more water than commodity crops, researchers say- by Laura Drotleff, December 17, 2021, MjBizDaily).

Ganja and Hemp offer medicinal value. With regards to Ganja, CannabisHealth proclaimed: A combined treatment of medical cannabis and medicinal mushrooms effectively kills HER2+ breast cancer cells, the cause of around 20 percent of all breast cancers.

Besides that, the medical value of hemp is in an Open Access Government report on The importance of personalized medicine & technology in the future of medicinal cannabis on June 8, 2022:

"With over 70% of new cancer drugs being derived from natural products, the future of medicine lies within nature. For centuries, the plant Cannabis sative L. has been used across the world as a herbal remedy. 

Modern research has shown its potential to treat various diseases such as cancer."

Not only that, but Hemp offsets carbon dioxide, and hemp derivatives are the source of health, food, eco-friendly fertilizer, pesticide, building materials, biofuel, textile fabric, etc.

So why was FARMeceutica's Hemp investment, said to be valued at US$24,074,074 million, not considered by the MCA?

Aside from that, where was the designated Minister of Agriculture Samatha Marshall concerning Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) seed contaminating our food production and, likewise, the ganja harvest?

Benjamin is unacquainted with agriculture. Not to mention Benjamin is guilty and must first atone for the mental abuses of workers and immediately be discharged from the NSM! Benjamin never anticipated the dangers of cross-contamination before, only in the interest of the few. Many people know that the ALP government's vested interest in the ganja industry connects to politicians' preference for NAMCO statutory protection that lacks accountability.

The hidden motive was safeguarding Itopia Life's interest by intimating a veiled threat that no one could grow hemp. During this period, the ALP government ignored the monitoring of Persistent Toxic Substances (PTSs) generally purchased by farmers. 

Without attention to the looming threat of the recent Leafhopper infestation on the ganja plant plus the Caribbean importing toxic pesticides, ".. close to 10,000 tonnes imported in 2018 fór agriculture use alone." (Impacts of pesticides on Caribbean farming communities -May 17, 2021, by Alex Stuart)

Adding to this dilemma is the high kilogram (kg) per hectare (ha) of pesticide use and the linkage "... to pesticides banned within the European Union (EU) are exported to third countries. The analysis assesses the factors behind the continuation of these exports.." -

-The use of pesticides in developing countries and their impact on health and the right to food. 

For instance, in Ukraine, imports of pesticides amounted to 100,000 tons in 2018, a 27.875% over 2017 imports of 78,201 tons, whereas Antigua and Barbuda imports escalated from 8 tons in 2010 to 39 tons in 2011, a 387.5% increase.

In 2017 Antigua and Barbuda's global ranking was 38 of the 160 countries. In this instance, the twin-island state uses 5.3kg/ha of pesticide. Of the top six international listings, four are CARICOM countries representing high usage: 

2 - Trinidad and Tobago, 24.9kg/ha

4 - Bahamas 21.1kg/ha

5 - Barbados 21.1kg/ha

6 - St. Lucia 19.6kg/ha

 Other listings:

38 - Antigua and Barbuda 5.3kg/ha

58 - Jamaica 2.9kg/ha

Two countries with the lowest kg/ha pesticide use are:

100 - Guyana 0.8kg/ha

114 - St. Kitts & Nevis 0.3kg/ha

(Pesticide Use by Country - Worldometer)

This high percentage of pesticides contradicts the Stockholm Convention treaty," which aims to protect human health from the effects of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)." The twin-island states signed this treaty on May 23, 2001, ratified it on September 10, 2003, and Entry into Force on May 17, 2004.

For example, a recent survey in conjunction with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) undertaken in Trinidad and Tobago of 208 farmers by Durraisamy Saravanakumar, Professor and Head, Department of Food Production, Faculty of Food and Agriculture UWI Trinidad, establishes:

"..47 percent of 208 farmers across Trinidad and Tobago felt unwell over the past 12 months within 24 hours of pesticide application." 

(Pesticide use in agriculture a concern for Gov't - Loop News October 2, 2022)

Just as crucial in 1994, the advent of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was an example that threatened Mexico's indigenous agriculture sustainability, human health, and a living wage. Specifically, the impacts of cross-contamination of GMO corn on Mexico's indigenous organic corn production prevailed. 

To be continued