AG not opposed to non-custodial sentences for small amounts of ganja

Dec 17, 2015 News

-Rastafarians demanding legalisation
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, yesterday said that he was not against the removal of the mandatory imprisonment for possession of small amounts of cannabis as Rastafarians call for the legalization of the herb.
“Certainly possession of certain amounts should not attract custodial sentences. I thought in marginal cases considerations could be given for non-custodial sentences,” he said.
He was an advocate for non-custodial sentences for small amounts of marijuana, he said.
Following a lengthy meeting with the Rastafarian community at his office, Williams said the new Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Substances (Control) (Amendment) Bill 2015, could not be tabled because it is protocol for draft legislations to be brought first to the Cabinet level.
“That Bill hasn’t come to the House under the hand of the government. Cabinet has not discussed the matter; it has not been discussed in Cabinet sub-committee which is headed by the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister is the Leader in the House.
He had no idea about the Bill, the nature of the Bill, the contents of the Bill,” Williams said, indicating that based on the procedures the piece of legislation would not be brought to the National Assembly at this time.
Alliance For Change (AFC) parliamentarian, Michael Carrington, was expected to table the amendment to remove provisions of the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Control Act 1988 which requires Magistrates to imprison anyone who pleads guilty to or has been found guilty of possession of marijuana.
At present, the law indicates that anyone found in possession of marijuana is liable to a fine of $10,000 or three times the monetary value of the drug. If the amount is in excess of 15 grams of cannabis, it is mandated that the offender should be sentenced to a minimum of three years of imprisonment.
Almost on a daily basis people are being charged for possession of small amounts of marijuana. The Bill was drafted by attorneys’ Nigel Hughes and Mark Waldron following the imprisonment of national football coach, Vibert Butts, for possession of marijuana.
Williams, nonetheless, stated that he hopes the Bill would serve as a “catalyst” in addressing the issue.
He stated that the decriminalization of Marijuana should be a matter for national consultation.
The Rastafarians are asking that the government remove the mandatory imprisonment for persons convicted of two ounces or 56 grams of marijuana for personal use. There are also reports circulating that the community is lobbying for the drug to be legalized.
However, they stated that they were open for national consultation.
President of the Guyana Rastafari Council, Ras Simeon, insisted that the criminalization of marijuana possession is a violation of Rastafarians’ religious and cultural rights.
“It is a crime and a great crime for a government to stand between a people and their religion and culture and to make laws and set institutions to suffocate and strangle I-and-I for so long,” he charged.
Another member of the Rastafarian community said that he hopes that the consultations would bring a positive response that will permit them to be in custody of two ounces of marijuana for religious purposes.
“I love the ganja; I can’t lie about that. I love the ganja. From the 70s I smoke the ganja. Ganja doesn’t make nobody mad. Ganja is good,” he argued.
Hughes does not believe that the new Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Substances (Control) (Amendment) Bill 2015 should be sent to a select committee prior to it being tabled in the Parliament.
He said that select committee deliberations were known for being notoriously “slow and protracted”. He proposed to members of the National Assembly that if there is a view from members of the National Assembly there should be a conscience vote.

Latest News

AG not opposed to non-custodial sentences for small amounts of ganja

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 10th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Kennard Memorial Turf Club releases Race dates for 2025

Region Six Education Department Renews Golf...

Savory, Persaud show class ahead of Regional...

Spectators experience and playing standards high...

Archery Guyana’s 2024 Senior Barebow Open...

Body of Chinese national who fell from new...

Features/Columnists

Social media reporting is a double-edged sword

Clarifying misconceptions about the Panama Canal

A trillion-dollar business run by men with $10 heads

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

AG not opposed to non-custodial sentences for small amounts of ganja

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 10th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]