In the lead-up to an advisory report that is expected to be tabled before Cabinet later this month, Chairman of the Cannabis Task Force and Senior Legal Officer attached to the Ministry of Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Mr. Dylan Norbert-Inglis, has led a steering committee in several crucial meetings with various stakeholder partners.
Among the list of public and private entities that have met with the steering committee to voice possible concerns and share timely recommendations are representatives from the health, agriculture, tourism and events, judicial, and banking and finance sectors.
These interests met with the committee in light of the proposed legislative amendments on cannabis.
The Ministry of Commerce has also been working closely with Ms. Oriana Trombetti, a veteran legal consultant engaged through the CARICOM Canadian Export Deployment Mechanism (CCEDM) and Catalyste+ Canada, to develop the framework for regulations for the proposed industry.
As part of the CCEDM consultancy project, Ms. Trombetti visited the island between Aug. 5 and 12, and was party to some stakeholder meetings that required in-depth examinations of the proposed regulatory framework.
During that week, meetings were held with officials of the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards, the National Agricultural Diagnostic Facility, the Forensic Lab and the Ministry of Health. Ms. Trombetti’s report is expected to provide guidelines and requirements for a regulatory framework.
Upon receipt and thorough examination of this report, the Ministry of Commerce will utilize a multipronged approach toward completion of the regulations.
This proposed course of action will see the framework segmented in parts with relevant stakeholders and, where needed, experienced consultants populating and formulating framework provisions.
SOURCE: Ministry of Commerce
