Thought of the Day - February 16 - Jamaica Me Crazy

Jamaica has had a tough twelve months. Overall they experienced more than a 30% drop in GDP in 2020. Tourist business way down, heck Canada just announced a travel ban to the Caribbean that could cost Jamaica another half-a-billion dollars. They have a continuing shortage of COVID test kits, Canada had to delay implementation of pre-boarding testing for essential travellers from Jamaica as they could not get tested domestically, and on top of all this - Jamaica is running out of "Ganja".

Yes, while we wallow in the limited success of government-peddled marijuana, Jamaica is running dry. Literally. Heavy rains during last year's hurricane season were followed by an extended drought. This means crops are not doing well.

Worsening the problem were strict COVID measures. These include a curfew that has again been restated due to a sudden spike in COVID-19 infections. These curfews have meant farmers cannot tend their illegal fields at night as routine.

Paul Burke, CEO of Jamaica's Ganja Growers and Producers Association, says some traditional farmers have stopped growing in frustration because they can't afford to meet requirements for the legal market, and police continue to destroy "good ganja fields". Experts say this is the worst they have ever seen, especially against a backdrop of increased local demand.

Hopefully, Jamaica will not fare too badly as this next variant-driven wave rolls through, and things will turn around soon so the people of Jamaica can get back to their crops. Let hope our much anticipated Jamaican holiday will not be characterized by only three of the "R"s: Red Stripe, Rum, Reggae - and no Reefer.

Cheers

Cliff

P.S. Ignore the headline that the Jet Blue flight attendant, Kalina Collier, who was tested positive for COVID, has been kidnapped in Jamaica - she was just overzealous on social media about quarantine.