Medicinal cannabis has potential, but focus is on tourism– Premier Wheatley
“I think there's potential there [Medicinal cannabis] once we get through our negotiations with the United Kingdom but just to say, we have been speaking about placing much more of a focus on our tourism sector,” he said.
Hon Wheatley was at the time speaking to the media during a one-on-one press conference on Friday, May 27, 2022, on unassented legislation, which includes the VI Cannabis Licensing Act, 2020, which was passed on June 30, 2020, and sent to the Governor's Office on July 27, 2020.
More economic diversification
That bill, along with new gaming legislation were individual parts of a greater push towards economic diversification and generation of more non-traditional revenue in the VI, under former Premier, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1).
Hon Wheatley added that while the territory has been facing and overcoming challenges in many different sectors through robust and resilient responses, he said the need for economic diversification still exists.
“There is the need to diversify our tourism product and there's a need to diversify our economy and let's take a look at agriculture and fisheries, for instance.”
Hon Wheatley continued, “We import quite a lot of our food, and of course, if we develop our agriculture and fishing industries and we provide more of what we eat and that will create employment, it will create business opportunities, it'll create government revenue,” he added.
Expanding tourism capacity
Meanwhile, Premier Wheatley said there is a need to expand capacity as it relates to accommodations in the VI for event-based tourism.
“We would also see if we can attract investment so that we can build some properties that can help us when we have things like event tourism, when we want to do sports, tourism, having a property where persons can actually come and stay,” he added.
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23 Responses to “Medicinal cannabis has potential, but focus is on tourism– Premier Wheatley”
I have no doubt that cannabis has good medical values, but is it an urgent need at this point and time?
No, it is not.
There are a number of countries, some not too far away that we can buy the quantity medical cannabis that we have need of. Is it too difficult to buy from them the amount that we have need of?
Every countries have immediate, short term, medium term, and long term needs. In the BVI our immediate needs are in this order: Spiritual, social, medical, ecomical, and political (true good governance, not patched up government)
You may not accept this truth, but a follower of a crooked person has some similarities of mindset.
"Who the cap fit let him (or her) wears it.
Mr. Jessie Jackson from the USA visited the BVI approximately 20 years ago. His did oftened repeated to us the following: "Up with hope, down with dope"
True cannibis has some medical values, but in the posession of fools, it is a great liability to us, our children, their children (our grandchildren), and country's well-being.
Not only that but its in the best interest of our tourism sector. It doesnt make sense to separate the two at this juncture. You're talking about expanding tourism, yet that is the simplest way to make a substantial increase in visitor interest.
Why come to the BVI where its safe but you can get arrested. While they can go to somewhere else in the Caribbean where getting arrested isnt a possibility. When planning vacations the law plays a big part. No one wants to be locked up abroad.
If you know you enjoy laying back with a cold beer on vacation chances are Saudi Arabia is off the list.
Same goes with the BVI & its laws. Consider our target audience and proximity to America as more & more states legalize.
Have you considered the allure to younger -needless to say wealthy- Asian tourist considering our previous visa free travel laws, as a choice non American, non politically tainted locale that can offer such a novel & relaxed experience in as safe an environment as their home country?
I think people are tired of the same old. Including playing it safe in a suit idea, if you originally believe in something then when the media asks a question articulate your points & stick to them unless your proven wrong. That is integrity.
BVI, attractive play ground or boring beautiful place lagging behind... currently the law is lagging behind the people's behavior.
We're still worried about what the world thinks while half the world is blazing it up.
While im at it in terms of protecting the tourist sector can we please get the ball rolling on discussing with the UK a neutral stance in our foreign relations.
we can not be ostracizing especially based on race, huge populations of tourists because the UK wakes up and decides it doesnt like Russians Indians or Chinese.
That is not BVI love. The governor mandates we officially grand stand about things that dont concern our VI residents or our highly valued service based industry to our detriment. Our good name in the mix with folly. Pointless actions. Where does it end, where is the line drawn on how this type of behavior may impact us?
Where there is no vision the people perish.
You as politicians have to see these icebergs coming and prepare accordingly in advance.