Rastafari Leader – By Kisean Joseph
Rastafari Leader Urges Brethren
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High Priest Selah, also known as Conneal Christian, is urging Rastafari brethren still operating outside the law to join the regulated cannabis industry, warning that division within the community is undermining the economic opportunities now available.
The Nyabinghi Order leader made the appeal during an interview with Observer Media on the state of Antigua and Barbuda’s cannabis sector, framing legalisation as an opportunity the community must not squander through infighting.
High Priest Selah said the legal framework established following the government’s formal apology to the Rastafari community has opened a path that did not previously exist. He described the Prime Minister’s granting of reparatory justice as “iconic, symbolic, and unprecedented” and contrasted Antigua and Barbuda’s approach with countries such as Colombia, where cannabis laws remain rigid and enforcement can turn violent.
He said the apology and subsequent legal reforms have allowed Rastafari to move beyond sacramental use into the medicinal and economic dimensions of the industry, describing the shift as a chance for the community to build lasting institutions rather than rely solely on the trade for short-term income.
However, High Priest Selah said the biggest obstacle to fully realising those gains is not government policy but division among Rastafari themselves. “Slavery, poverty, selfishness, a lot of things among all people that are Rasta everywhere. But you find dissensions, detractors, people who want to carry on their own ulterior motives,” he said, adding that a reluctance to collaborate has kept some brethren on the margins of the legal economy.
He said the industry would benefit from greater specialisation, with individuals focusing on cultivation, processing, or sales rather than attempting to manage every stage of production alone, comparing the approach to a fisherman who earns more by delegating tasks than by doing everything himself.
High Priest Selah also pointed to the potential for the cannabis sector to support wider community development, including agricultural training and youth engagement. He said discussions are ongoing with the Medicinal Cannabis Authority about a research study into cannabis for pain management in patients with autism and ADHD.
Looking beyond Antigua and Barbuda, he argued that the Caribbean is well positioned to attract international cannabis investment because of its climate and existing cultural association with the plant. “Rasta is a unique brand,” he said, adding that the region needs to market that identity more deliberately to draw investors with capital to commit.
He said building that reputation would require the community to present a more unified and disciplined image, warning that a lack of cohesion risks undermining decades of advocacy that predated the current legal reforms.
High Priest Selah said he hopes the legal cannabis industry can eventually reduce reliance on food imports and support broader economic development within Rastafari communities.
