Trinidad and Tobago have finally moved one big step closer to the development of the cannabis industry. On Friday, a committee of legislators published its long-promised final report on the country’s Cannabis Control Bill, addressing several contentious issues and moving the bill closer to passage. The bill would establish the legislative framework for Trinidad and Tobago’s Cannabis Licensing Authority, the body that would govern licenses for the cultivation, distribution, sale, and import and export of cannabis for medicinal use. The committee—a Parliamentary Joint Select Committee, and consisting of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate—was established to review the Cannabis Control Bill, which was first introduced by the country’s Attorney General, Faris Al-Rawi, in 2019. Committee members cited “the complexity of the Bill” and the need to engage in “consultations with Cannabis Authorities of the region” as reasons for the long delay. But on Friday, the legislative group recommended a list of 25 amendments be made to the Control Bill. Chief among the recommendations is a focus on regulatory compliance and transparency within the industry.
Clydeen Mcdonald, Cannabis Wire, 06/13/2021 20:00:00