Man caught with ganja ordered to perform community service

A man who admitted to having one gramme of cannabis was on Wednesday ordered to perform community service at the Palms when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Additionally, Mario Ricardo was fined $3,000 by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. Ricardo accepted that on June 25 in Georgetown he had in his possession one gramme of cannabis.

His attorney James Bond said that his client is a Rastafarian and uses ganja as part of his religious sacrament. Bond said that steps should be taken to support the debate aimed at decriminalizing marijuana use for such purposes.

Ricardo was ordered to perform six months community service at the Palms every Thursday.