“Some of the objectives of the cooperative is to have a banana association”, he said to SNO. “We will also be providing import for food, machinery for the cannabis corp”.

As the Cooperative is beginning its operations, it’s inviting citizens and farmers to join its membership. The membership drive, the Interim President says, will be held in various communities across the island.

“We are going to do a membership drive. The one in Monchy is on Wednesday [July 26th, 2023] and we are going to go to other communities as well.”

De Caires hopes by January 2024, the Cooperative can have its first annual general meeting.

“Hopefully by the beginning of the year we can have our first annual general meeting.”

The Herbal Cooperative is an organisation lobbying for the commercialisation of cannabis.