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Historic legal ganja tree planted at UWI

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Jamaica, 20 Apr 2015 – THE University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, planted its first legal ganja (marijuana) plant yesterday, symbolising its position as the pioneer in legally cultivating and researching the benefits of the drug in Jamaica.

Emotive adjectives coloured the presentations from government and university officials at the function marking the event, at the Agora Gardens, Faculty of Medical Sciences Teaching and Research Complex.
Minister of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining Phillip Paulwell suggested that it was “a wonderful day”, while UWI principal, Professor Archibald McDonald, pronounced it a “historic and amazing day”.
“If we can play our cards right, good things can happen for the people of Jamaica,” Minister of Justice, Senator Mark Golding, who piloted the Bill in the Senate decriminalising the drug, commented.
Under the provisions of a ministerial order issued by Paulwell recently, under the Dangerous Drugs Act, the UWI, Mona, as well as the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) are now licensed to grow ganja for research purposes.

Yesterday’s event was to witness the planting of the first legal ganja plant on the UWI campus.
Paulwell explained that he issued the order under Section 7 (d) of the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act, which was passed by Parliament in February.

He said that the order was “absolutely critical” if Jamaica is to be cited as the place for medicinal research and development of the product.

“We now have an opportunity to catch up (and) I want Jamaica to be the centre of excellence for research in medicinal ganja,” Paulwell said.

He stated that the order will also allow the university to contract farming of the weed outside of the Mona campus, but suggested that, when that is done, the university should pay particular attention to the small farmers.
He said that the law also allows him to grant authorisation to other bodies. However, he warned those interested in the commercial aspects of the drug to start by looking at their own research and development capabilities, and the opportunities being created at the university for research and development.

Professor McDonald, noting that the UWI has recently assumed pole position among tertiary institutions in the Caribbean, thanked the Government and the parliament for making the ganja experiment possible.
“Almost two years ago this was the most conservative institution in the Caribbean, and today here we are planting the first legal ganja plant after 102 years,” McDonald said.

He said that ganja had been demonised for economic reasons, and alcohol and cigarettes were never so demonised because they originated in the northern countries.

“Ganja originated from countries in the south, therefore, it was important that the interests of alcohol and cigarettes were protected,” he said.

He said that the UWI will now do the necessary research aimed at providing the scientific basis to show that ganja is a medicine, and is effective against a range of diseases.

Senator Golding, meanwhile, reiterated that the interest of the Rastafarian community would be protected.
He said that there were three areas to protect their interest: (1) entitlement to certain lands designated for cultivation for sacramental purposes; (2) places of worship to be designated as such for the use of ganja as a sacrament; (3) and events primarily for observing the faith to be exempted from the Act.
Golding also said that he will also be setting up an advisory group to give guidance on how the permits are to be issued.

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DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM REGULATIONS INTRODUCES “RATE YOUR RIDE” SYSTEM FOR TOURISTS VISITING THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

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FROM THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM

 

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 27th March, 2024 – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: The Department of Tourism Regulations is proud to unveil the “Rate Your Ride” system, a new initiative designed to enhance the vacation experience for tourists exploring our picturesque islands.

The “Rate Your Ride” system empowers tourists to provide valuable feedback on the quality of transportation services they receive while visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands. Through an easy-to-use online form, tourists can rate factors such as cleanliness, comfort, safety, and professionalism of drivers, helping us to assure the highest quality of service standards across all modes of transportation.

By participating in the “Rate Your Ride” system, tourists play a crucial role in shaping the future of transportation services in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Their feedback will enable us to identify areas for improvement and ensure that every visitor enjoys safe, comfortable, and convenient travel throughout their stay in the Turks and Caicos.

The code will also be publicly accessible through the cooperation of volunteer drivers who will make the rating code available in their vehicles. Flyers and stickers displaying the code will be distributed at hotels, resorts and airports. The mandated display of these codes is expected to align with the rollout of our tourism regulations in 2025.

For more information about the “Rate Your Ride” system and other initiatives by the Department of Tourism Regulations, please visit gov.tc/tourismregulations/or contact us via telephone at 946-4970 and email at tourismregulations@gov.tc.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH SERVICES CONDEMNS RECORDING OF PERSONS WHO ARE IN CRISIS

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FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

 

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 27th March 2024– The Department of Behavioral Health Services is appealing to the general public to refrain from recording and circulating videos of persons who may appear to be experiencing a mental health crisis. Anyone can experience a mental health crisis at some point in their life. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. Persons may struggle with very common conditions such as Anxiety and Depression or be diagnosed with more serious conditions like Bipolar Disorder or Psychosis.

“There are a lot of misunderstandings about various mental health conditions and how they may manifest. In addition, there are a number of negative perceptions and misconceptions that society exhibits towards people with mental health problems. However, just as we would show care and concern for someone diagnosed with Cancer, or any other physical illness, in the same way, we need to be as caring and helpful to persons with mental illnesses”– stated Director of the Department of Behavioral Health Services, Dr. Alicia Malcolm.

The Department is urging the public to call the following numbers if you see someone who appears to be experiencing a mental health crisis:

338-5473/338-3616: Providenciales, North or Middle Caicos

338-3614/338-3612: Grand Turk, South Caicos, Salt Cay

338-6301: Nights and Weekends

If someone is putting themselves or someone else in immediate, serious risk of harm, call 911.

The Department of Behavioral Health services is here to help and provides the following services which are free and confidential:

Location of above services:

o             Sam Harvey Building, Down Town, Providenciales,

o             Primary Health Care Department, Cheshire Hall Medical Center, Providenciales 

o             Department of Behavioural Health, Duncombe Alley, Grand Turk

 

Let’s all do our part in creating a community where people with mental health problems feel respected, supported and cared for. 

For additional information, please visit the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/ or the Department of Behavioral Health Services Faceebook on https://www.facebook.com/TCIDBHS/.

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Breaking Ground: TCI Could Lead in Regional Communication Standards

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Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, 27th March 2024: The PR, marketing, and communications sector is poised for potential growth and could lead the Caribbean region in terms of industry standards says Damian Wilson. Wilson’s suggestion comes after the release of a new research report into the current trends and future direction of the sector as a possible emerging industry in the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

Wilson is the report’s author, which conveys the findings of research which he initiated. “One of the key research results is the considerable optimism by industry practitioners and government alike, with persons seeing growth potential. I believe that we can become regional leaders in this field. I believe that one of the initiatives that could be used to do this is by establishing a ‘TCI Centre of Communications Excellence’ within the TCI Community College. Such an institute would be dedicated to communication and media innovation with a particular focus on digital communications and ICT,” says Wilson.

He further explained, “I believe that the PR, marketing, and communications sector, like much of the country, is at a crossroads and could have an even greater impact on our socio-economic fabric. Some may have concerns about our small size, but I believe this makes us far more agile than our neighbours. All in all, any potential growth must be underpinned by new investments, professional development, and a strategy to integrate the sector into the broader economy.”

Wilson also said that he sees his research as a first step in understanding our own industry sectors in the TCI and would love to see more profound research and analysis conducted. He’s hoping that the report will spark discussion along those lines. The report is entitled ‘Current Trends and Future Direction: A Preliminary Report on the PR, Marketing, and Communications Sector in the Turks & Caicos Islands’. Anyone wanting a copy of the report can contact Damian Wilson via his email, damian.wilson.pr@gmail.com.

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