Business Minister receptive to hemp industry in Guyana

By Rennella Bourne

Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin has lauded the initiative of Guyana Hemp Association, which is aimed at creating employment and eradicating poverty.

Head of the Guyana Hemp Association Turhane Doerga said he is confident the production of hemp can eradicate poverty and create “5,000 jobs, the least in Guyana.”
Co-founder of Neurvana, Vijay Doerga speaking with Guyana Times said that with hemp many industries can be opened since the plant serves as a raw material to numerous finished products. “Hemp can make several things from clothing to upholstery and several things.”
Hemp is closely related to marijuana and despite the group’s effort to sensitise the nation of this plant many are still sceptical of it.
Minister Gaskin speaking with Guyana Times, said: “The plant hemp is cannabis related. It contains the active ingredients that are illegal under our laws and in order for that industry to even start in Guyana we would have to do some amending to our laws, that’s one issue. ”
Gaskin added: “It is feasible from what we are looking at and it is legitimate in many other countries but it will have to be properly monitored to ensure that it is not used for other purposes. It will present some challenges but we will have to look at some of the other countries where it has been successful to see how they manage to do it without gaining any harmful spinoffs.
“I am supportive generally of any industry that has intentions of bringing any investment here, which will create jobs.”
As it relates to legislation, Gaskin disclosed that he cannot say how soon the plant will be able to make it on the market but he noted: “If it were to make the approval of the cabinet it will depend on the complexity of the legal amendments.”
According to Turhane Doerga, Hemp has an income earning capacity that is five times more than rice. It is believed that half an acre of hemp could allow for a cultivator to earn a middle-class income.
Just recently, over 250 persons passed a resolution and signed a petition calling on government to amend the relevant laws of Guyana and give its no objections to the cultivation of industrial hemp locally.
This was done at the Guyana Hemp Association (GHA) national consultation, held at Critchlow Labour College on Saturday 12 June, to discuss the production of hemp in Guyana. The association’s objective of producing this hemp is to eradicate poverty which will vastly increase employment and build Guyana’s economy.
The GHA is advocating for hemp to have a legitimate place in the agriculture sector. Essentially, it is supposed to be a non-drug variety of the cannabis plant with many uses ranging from medicinal to construction.