We’ve done a bit of digging and as always with Tory ministers and cannabis it gets very complicated with a minimal paper trail .
Here’s the initial media report from the Times (UK). as well as a couple of other local media reports from Slough & Windsor + what we could find online via Elite’s website and Linked In Accounts.
We would suggest there is more to come out in the wash.
A Conservative MP tried to cover up his failure to register a new job in time, in an effort to avoid public criticism.
Adam Afriyie, the MP for Windsor, has been reprimanded by the Commons standards body for being too slow to declare the position with a medicinal cannabis company.
Here’s a little more about the company via CEO and founder.. Liam McGreevy’s Linked In Page
The parliamentary commissioner for standards has now found that Afriyie breached paragraph 14 of the code of conduct for MPs, which states that they should declare their interests.
It has also emerged that Afriyie tried to get the registrar,….
Read more at the Times (UK)
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/adam-afriyie-too-slow-to-declare-job-with-cannabis-firm-tkvgzgh0s
The local newspaper the Windsor Observer provides more detail
WINDSOR’S MP’s potential failure to declare his involvement with a medical marijuana distribution company is being investigated, a national newspaper reported.
According to The Times, Tory MP Adam Afriyie is being investigated by the parliamentary commissioner for standards for failing to declare his chairmanship at a medical cannabis distribution firm called Elite Growth in December.
It was reported, on January 31 by the national newspaper, that Windsor’s long-serving representative has lobbied government about medical cannabis.
Elite Growth announced Mr Afriyie as its chairman on October 22, but The Times article stated there was no record of this disclosed on the Register of Members’ Financial Interests in four of its editions between November and December.
Rules state a member must notify within 28 days of any changes in their registrable interest if it could influence their actions or words as a parliamentarian.
This interest was finally declared earlier last month.
In a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Afriyie said: “The Standards Commissioner performs an important function for Parliament and I’m keen to assist.
“I have been as proactive as possible in making proper declarations as early as possible, and I hope that this inquiry will reach swiftly the same conclusion”
A Parliamentary investigation found in 2019 that Mr Afriyie breached the MP’s code of conduct by failing to register his ownership and rental of a Grade II-listed £4.5m mansion in Old Windsor for £1,950 a night on Airbnb.
Mr Afriyie apologised for the error and insisted he had “taken steps to ensure” the register was updated.
Here’s a sponsored article published by Elite Growth September 2021
Elite Growth aims at the Premier League for patients
Elite Growth is on a mission to transform the global medical cannabis market. Its team of experts and industry veterans reveal how.
Elite Growth is on a mission to transform the global medical cannabis market.
With access for patients at its heart, Elite Growth is on a mission to transform the global medical cannabis market. Here, its team of experts and industry veterans reveal how.
Sponsored
Elite Growth is on a rapid expansion mission, investing geographically in people, facilities and resources in order to become a full-service leader in end-to-end cannabinoid production.
The company aims to specialise clinical, wellbeing, lifestyle and technology solutions in order to have quality and business control over the entire journey from product source to consumer use.
The team is focussed on delivering medical and non-medical services and products for families and individuals, ranging from clinical support for a range of severe conditions, to making more informed healthy lifestyle choices and living them.
Liam McGreevy, CEO of Elite Growth.
But how can one company be expert in so many areas? Easily explained, according to industry veteran Liam McGreevy, CEO of Elite Growth.
“Elite is not one company, but several interconnected and highly complementary Elite companies, bringing together products and services that perfectly serve each other and the company’s growers, manufacturers, scientists, suppliers, clinicians, clients and patients,” he said.
“We are proactively acquiring companies that complement our core businesses, Elite Growth, Pharmaco, Biotech and Activus, building upon a fifteen year track record of successfully delivering clinical products and systems into the health and wellness industries. We decided that the time is right to accelerate our growth exponentially with a stronger management team, new investment and a new vision for what is needed in this industry. This strategic re-focus has allowed us to become very clear about what we need to do to deliver better solutions for patients and clients across a range of related sectors.
“We have now seamlessly dovetailed all the expertise we need to achieve our goals, so that we can count and call upon medical, legal, intellectual property, technology, sales, distribution, growth, scientific formulation, NPD, marketing, communications, public affairs, public relations and finance, all from within our own resources. This approach delivers huge value to us and to all of our stakeholders, and because we are a lean, dynamic and decisive team, we are already delivering very fast ideation-and-discovery into real business delivery and revenues, all with patient health and customer wellbeing at front of mind.”
Fighting for access
Robin Emerson, COO, Elite Growth
Robin Emerson, COO of Elite Growth is best known in the public eye for being a tireless and successful patient advocate for the legalisation in the UK of prescription medical cannabis for the treatment of refractory epilepsy.
The eventual passing into law of the Act of Parliament in November 2018 led to Robin’s baby daughter, Jorja Emerson, becoming the first child patient in the United Kingdom to be prescribed and receive life-saving medication after the law change, in December 2018. This was generously supplied by Aphria (now Tilray) for her chronic refractory epilepsy condition, thereby opening the pathway for thousands of other patients to have equal access to NHS doctors to prescribe CBD and other natural plant based medications.
The passion with which the dynamic Elite management team is carrying the flame for patients is intense, all five co-founders clearly believe that despite their successes to date, the campaign for equal access to NHS medication for patients with conditions including chronic pain management, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, PTSD and others, is far from over.
World-class products
Demonstrating the company’s breadth and interoperability of expertise is Dr Monica Vialpando, chief science officer, Elite Growth.
Dr Monica Vialpando, chief science officer, Elite Growth.
Monica is pharmaceutically trained and highly respected for her new product and device development expertise around the globe and explains her aspirations for the Group.
“One of the major challenges for patients self-treating with CBD and other natural medicines is having absolute control in dosing selection and delivery systems,” she commented.
“My work in this area has seen the creation of several important design, systems and formulations patents and we are working on ever more innovative and intelligent ways to make patient’s experiences pleasurable, easy and safe. At Elite we see huge growth potential in the area of inhalation and vaping for medical purposes and are working towards enhancing our existing suite of products with game-changing designs and delivery systems.”
Ahead of the game
Martin McDonald, chief marketing officer of Elite Growth explained the thinking behind the new Elite ‘Infinity’ brand identities and why they are important to driving the company’s international business recognition, development and growth aspirations.
“We are fully committed to deliver on our growth strategy and are doing this through organic development and intelligent acquisitions to rapidly grow our business portfolio in ways that give us total control, from source to shelf, clinicians and customers,” he said.
Martin McDonald, chief marketing officer of Elite Growth
“As we accelerate our Group businesses towards delivering our initial eight-figure revenue objectives we are writing significant deals in multiple countries with brilliant people, partners and investors. Our aspirations can be seen at the heart of our palindromic Elite brand, which is an infinity 8 design representing our limitless possibilities, total transparency and openness to doing business.
“Our brand speaks to all of our stakeholders, reminding them who we are and why we are doing what we are doing, together. We are already putting the brand to work and will shortly be announcing top-flight sports and other partnerships where we know that our brand will complement these established brands in a way that respects all involved.”
Giving something back
As part of its giving back community commitments, the Elite management team has set up the Jorja Foundation, an NGO that will be helping other parents of children like Jorja Emerson to get immediate access to the help they need.
Soco Miranda, chief finance officer, Elite Growth
Soco Miranda, chief finance officer at Elite Growth explained: “Robin and Jorja’s story and struggle to get the life-saving treatment she needed is truly heart-breaking. We decided that we want to provide through a charitable and totally non-profit organisation assistance to obtain consultations, special needs equipment, family counselling, and medical cannabis prescriptions. Via our group company Elite Activus, our Jorja Botanicals range of creams, oils and gummies, will make a direct contribution to the Jorja Foundation for every sale we make.
“In addition, we are currently inviting companies and individuals to join our mission to literally ease the pain by getting involved and making contributions to the Jorja Foundation and are looking forward to announcing these strategic partnerships very soon.”
For more information visit www.elitegrowthco.com
Also, via the Daily Mail yesterday
A judge has given a Conservative MP facing bankruptcy proceedings time to raise money to save himself from insolvency.
Judge Sally Barber on Tuesday approved a plan for Adam Afriyie, who represents Windsor, to sell a property.
The judge considered Mr Afriyie’s case at an online hearing in the specialist Insolvency and Companies Court.
