2023 Special Reports

On a High

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It’s a sacrament. It’s sacred. It’s how we communicate with our ancestors. Genesis 1:29 says the earth brought forth grass and herb-bearing seed, and the Lord saw that it was good. I don’t see how men could see that it is not,” said Ras I’an, a Rastafarian Priest. 

He drapes a hand-crochet prayer scarf, clutches a Rastafarian flag bearing the lion of Judah and enters the Mount Carmel Tabernacle, tucked in the Barbadian parish of St. John. 

This Tabernacle is different. It has no doors or windows, and the floor is the land.

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Creating Standards

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High standards mean a world-class product. The specialised standards regulate the agricultural, manufacturing and active pharmaceutical ingredients.  

General standards for the Medicinal Cannabis Industry. (Sourced from Herbal Cannabis for Medical Use: A Spectrum of Regulatory Approaches – World Drug Report 2023)

General standards for the Medicinal Cannabis Industry. (Sourced from Herbal Cannabis for Medical Use: A Spectrum of Regulatory Approaches – World Drug Report 2023)

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released its updated recommendations based on a “multi-year review process conducted by the Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD). A sub-report was also created by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) World Drug Report 2023 under the subheading “Contemporary issues on drugs” sub-report 3, “Herbal Cannabis for Medical Use: A Spectrum of Regulatory Approaches”. 

To set a standard, a level is set to constitute what is considered medicinal.

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Legislation and Decriminalisation

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One of the major hurdles is the contentious issue of legality. It’s the root of funding, investment, industry acceptance and participation.  

One of the Barbados Government’s first steps was to lay the legal framework. The Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Industry Act and the Sacramental Cannabis Act were passed in November 2019, followed by decriminalising measures with the Drug Abuse (Prevention and Control) (Amendment) Act in 2021. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley also pledged that Barbadians will vote in a future referendum on legalising cannabis. Opening paragraph of the Drug Abuse (Prevention and Control) (Amendment) Act 2020 (Designed by Esther Jones)


A news clip explaining the amendments to the Drug Abuse (Prevention and Control) Act.

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Multimedia

The Impact of Climate Change on Health, Lives, and Livelihood

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Climate disasters are taking a heavy toll across St Vincent and the Grenadines. But Indigenous communities in St. Vincent’s northeast have suffered some of the most serious damage from recent hurricanes and floods. Experts now say these communities are in danger of being wiped out unless urgent action is taken to save them. https://youtu.be/z6O6MIaHJns?si=angV-ipcZzSvyS1x

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2023 Special Reports

Online Fraud in St. Kitts and Nevis, a Pervasive Problem for Public, Law Enforcement and Banks

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Law enforcement officials say that online scams in the twin-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis have been on the rise since the start of the pandemic in 2020. But how the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF)’track and document these criminal acts makes it hard to know the prevalence of the scams. Thus, the measuring of the crime data continues as an issue. Over the last four years, the territory has seen sophisticated forms of online scams being reported to various law enforcement agencies, and it is proving to be a challenge for the agencies to curb the problem.

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2023 Special Reports

A First Look at the Civic Space in Jamaica

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The issues arising in the civic space are varied and are tied to basic rights of freedom of expression, speech and thought. It relates to the human spirit at its core and how citizens can convey their sentiments responsibly but without fear or reprisal. Interwoven in the social framework of the civic space is the seeming lack of consideration for members of society who must live with the decisions taken by governments or others who shape their daily lives. It opens the door to suggestions of better informed communities and improved public consultation. This series focuses on the civic space in Jamaica and was supported by the Media Institute of the Caribbean and Internews.

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2023 Special Reports

The Impact Of Climate Change On The Disabled Communities’ Health In Dominica

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Globally, about 1.3 billion people are living with disabilities. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), this represents 16% of the world’s population, or 1 in 6 of us. 

In many countries, people with disabilities (PWDs) are mainly seen as members of a vulnerable community, and their skills or abilities are often sidelined or overlooked by the wider society. 

On the Caribbean island of Dominica, the same is true. Although some NGOs and human rights advocates continue to raise awareness regarding the plight and achievement of people with disabilities, civil society and the central government are not doing enough to bolster the community toward sustainability and inclusion. CIJN has identified some of the main challenges affecting the disabled community in Dominica. It is clear that after the passage of Tropical Storm Erika in 2015 & Hurricane Maria in 2017, people with disabilities were exposed to more significant risks of noncommunicable diseases, severe physical injury, anxiety disorders, amplified respiratory conditions, infectious diseases, lack of access to medical care and medication and in some cases, even malnutrition.

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Jamaica Civic Space

Rightfully

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Introduction

In Jamaican culture and especially through reggae music, the country is known for the struggle to protect peoples’ rights. Jamaica has always been a pioneer for freedom, having fought to rid South Africa of apartheid. The term Civics is said to have derived from the Latin word ‘civicus’ which means ‘relating to a citizen’. In the Jamaican space, it’s perceived as unwritten moral guidelines which teach persons how to navigate the social space. Civics focuses on imparting knowledge about rights – human and fundamental – personal responsibility, acceptable behaviour and mores, national awareness, the duties of the citizen and the functioning of the democratic nation.

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Jamaica Civic Space

Bucknor – A Volatile Clarendon Community Transitions From Violent Past

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From the heart of the Bucknor community, the echoes of a turbulent past linger. Once notorious for violence and discrimination, the streets that were shrouded in fear are now the stage for a remarkable transformation. Residents’ voices carry stories of resilience, testaments of a collective struggle to break free from a cycle of despair and a determination to reclaim their community. “This community was pure bush. Only two of us lived here, now houses being are being built and people looking for land to buy,” shares resident of Bucknor for over 40 years, Lynford Thomas.

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