A local cannabis company has hit back at the Opposition People’s Party for Democracy and Development (PdP) over recent comments suggesting a link with the Mia Mottley Administration.
Describing any such implication as malicious, BIM Medical Cannabis Limited said today that entity has no association with the Government or its newly-established Barbados Cannabis Licensing Authority (BCLA).
“BIM Medical Cannabis Limited has no affiliation with the Government of Barbados nor with the Barbados Cannabis Licensing Authority Inc and any attempt to misconstrue this fact to the public could be seen as a malicious act,” Director of Research Dr Damian Cohall told Barbados TODAY.
Cohall, who Opposition spokesman on Health and Wellness Paul Gibson named as a director of BIM Medical during a press conference on Tuesday, took the PdP member to task over the questions raised about the company’s legality.
Gibson had queried why the Government had not made the incorporation of the Authority and the private[y-owned cannabis company, public knowledge considering that the BCLA had been incorporated on July 26, 2019 and BIM Medical, a year ago.
The Opposition spokesman, who had produced the certificates of incorporation for both entities, also said that Government’s decision to constitute these bodies as legal businesses, was like “putting the cart before the horse”.
He also raised concerns surrounding BIM Medical and several names attached to that business as well as the Authority.
“We wish also to be told of the involvement of George Walton Payne & Co., Winston Best of Apple Hall, St Philip and William Armstrong of Ruby Plantation, St Philip; all of whose names appear in the certification documents relative to the cannabis authority. It is to be noted that the documents list the registered offce as Government headquarters, Bay Street
“Similarly, we would wish to be advised as to the involvement of Basil Hunte, Damian Cohall and Sebastien Hunte, all of whom are listed as Directors of BIM Medical Cannabis Limited,” Gibson had stated.
But while disassociating BIM Medical from the Government and the authority and affirming his entity’s legality, Cohall also revealed the goal of the company and those behind it.
He noted that BIM Medical is a private undertaking incorporated in Barbados in September 2018 with the intent of participating in the development of the medical cannabis industry in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
“The goal of the company is to provide a sound science-based methodological approach towards activities considered relevant to the development of the industry. Proposed activities include supporting conferences; discussing the development of the industry; developing public awareness workshops on medicinal cannabis; developing and delivering training courses for physicians, pharmacists, nurses and other medicinal cannabis industry practitioners; and conducting research and quality assurance activities when the necessary legislative framework is in place,” he told Barbados TODAY.
“The Director of Operations of the company is Professor Wayne Hunte, formerly Pro Vice Chancellor of Research at the University of the West Indies. Dr Damian Cohall, a pharmacologist with expertise in the area of medicinal cannabis, is affiliated with the company as a Director of Research,” he added.
In its efforts to legalize cannabis for medicinal purposes and create a cannabis industry, a Bill intended to provide the legislative footing is currently before a Select Committee of Parliament.
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This just shows how ignorant and reactionary Bajans are and how difficult to even do legitimate business in this Country. An apology should be forthcoming from those alarmist spreading false News for Political Gain. And from the News Organizations for publishing it without checking out the available public information. Kudos for the Team at UWI for recognizing the future potential and monetizing it.