Lifestyle: Coming Soon(?), the "Cannabis Corridor"

By this time, the air over Rose Hall, Montego Bay will be redolent with the scent of various brands of marijuana, and also thick with the sounds of rap meg-mogul (and renowned "canna-phile")Rick Ross, among others.

But before that levity and mental levitation, media, commercial, health and social interests converged on Mobay's Convention Centre for the CanEx Conference and (mini)Expo.

Inside the convention hall, visitiors were greeted by a branded 55-gallon drum, which event co-ordinator Douglas Gordon revealed contained cannabis oil extract. estimated value of the barrelled liquid? A cool $17 million. US. Kinda puts petroleum to shame.

bit beyond the money, and the high, there was a wide spectrum of issues to air and debate and explore. Not least of them, te link between the medicinal and recreational benefits of marijuanaand the still burgeoning tourist industry. Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett, in attendance, spoek of the vision, set to begin by next year of a kind of "Cannabis Corridor".

Taking advantage of the storied reputation of the weed from Westmoreland and neighbouring St Elizabeth, the vision roughly is to establish and augment a cluster of boutique "rustic chic" resorts, of the type pioneered by the Hennzell family with their iconic Jake's property in Treasure Beach. The resorts will be showcases for Jmaaican culture as well as the many applications of the marijuana plant which, thanks to legislation largely piloted by former justice minister Mark Golding (also in attendance), now includes two ounces for personal use.

The concept is one it is hoped will be replicated across the island, no place more urgently than St Thomas, where Delano Sievwright, JLP candidate for St Thomas eastern and Special Advisor to the Tourism Minister, who certainly wants to bring that type of development to the constituency to compliment the impending road and infarastructure work.

either way, there's lots of potential in the emerging post-legitimate cannabis industry, and players need to get themselves informed and in shape for the next inflection points in the process


Next: the Social Economics of Ganja

Film: Curtains set to go Up on 2016 GATTFEST

The 4^d Annual GATFFEST reaches a crescendo this week with the Premiere of Film on Trench Town at the Opening Night, scheduled for June 23 at the Assembly Hall on the mOna Campus of the UWI.

 

The highly anticipated four day festivities, which culminate at a grand award ceremony on June 26, brings the curtains down to what has been one of the most exciting showcase of GATFFEST till date.

 

Not only did the interest spiked in this path breaking community initiative locally and regionally, the number of international entries to the Caribbean’s most happening community film festival reached record numbers.

 

“We are proud of GATFFEST’s achievements,” said Professor Ian Boxill, Professor of Management Studies and Director, Centre for Tourism and Policy Research. “It is through perseverance, hard work and most importantly a dedicated and focused team, which has made us grow strength to strength every year.”

 

The series of events include an invitation only Opening Gala and Film Premiere, which is a Red Carpet Arrival and Reception and premiere of documentary on Trench Town.

 

The festivities move to Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts on Friday, June 24, where two workshops, which will be anchored by United States film maker Judy Chaikin, and Colombian film maker Jhon Narvaez Escudero – who will delve under the theme “Telling your story workshop”. These workshops are free of cost. On Friday evening, EMC will host a selection of local and international films – there is nominal admission cost of $800.

 

On Saturday, the spotlight shines in Kingston and the second city of Montego Bay. At Courtleigh Auditorium, in Kingston there will an engaging panel discussion will look into Movie Techniques and The Filmmaker’s Trials and Tribulations. UWI Western Jamaica Campus comes alive with Jhon Narvaez Escudero giving Tips for the Independent Filmmaker.

 

Both events are followed by film nights, at Courtleigh Auditorium in Kingston and Wexford Hotel in Montego Bay.

 

Sunday, June 26 is the grand finale, wherein a gala Awards Ceremony will be organised, which will recognise and reward the works of the top films.

 

“We are not merely a film festival,” Prof. Boxill said. “GATTFEST is fast becoming the catalyst and the medium for story tellers converging in Jamaica, exchanging thoughts and ideas and critically advancing the filmmaking techniques at par with the best in the world.”