Ambrose Bennett
FORMER educator Ambrose M. Bennett said he can help reform the CNMI’s cannabis industry.
However, his efforts will be useless if his authority is “circumvented” by the CNMI Cannabis Commission, Bennett said in a letter to Gov. Arnold I. Palacios on Monday.
The governor appointed Bennett to the cannabis commission, but the nomination was withdrawn due to Bennett’s criminal conviction in Tennessee about 50 years ago.
Public Law 20-66, which legalized cannabis in the CNMI, states that “no person shall be appointed [to the commission] who has been convicted of a crime, excepting traffic offenses, in any jurisdiction of the United States, the Commonwealth or any foreign country carrying a maximum sentence of more than six months, or any crime or offense involving moral turpitude unless a full pardon has been granted.”
In his letter to the governor, Bennett said the cannabis commission “is doing everything possible to inhibit my efforts to carry out your desire to reform the cannabis tourism industry.”
“This must stop governor,” Bennett added.
“I’m sure you know that it is imperative for the cannabis commission to work with me on these reforms and I am asking that you send a memorandum to the cannabis commission to discontinue any and all activities that go against the work I’m doing to reform the industry,” Bennett said.
He also told the governor that he will be rescheduling another meeting with the owners of cannabis dispensaries, who, he added, must be organized, similar to the Hotel Association of the NMI.
According to Bennett, there are two major industry players “who seem to think they don’t have to be involved in your reform efforts, which is why I am seeking an official letter from you to the cannabis commission to set this matter straight.”
He wants the commission to make the meeting mandatory so they can “try and save the industry.”
Variety was unable to get a comment from the commission.
Variety learned that the Office of the Governor has “retained” Bennett, through “Pro Services,” to try to create a hemp production and manufacturing industry for exporting hemp products. No other details were available as of press time Monday evening.
