Our criminal justice system can be considered working only when all Guyanese are treated equally under the law. That is why I support a Bill (No. 17 of 2015) piloted by Member of Parliament Michael Carrington, marking the culmination of persistent efforts from many in the wider society to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of “ganja”.
I am totally against decriminalizing the possession of any amount of cocaine or any other chemically enhanced drugs, but “ganja” is a ‘natural’ plant, and is being used by many around the world as a herbal painkiller. There is enough scientific evidence to prove that tobacco does more damage to the human body than “ganja”, yet tobacco is legal.
When President David Granger launched his political manifesto in May 2015, he said, “Our young people demand jobs, not jails…” He sold the idea hard then that he was for the young people; but three years after, we are finding all his speeches were acts of demagoguery and deception, and today one in five of the people behind bars are there because of a “ganja” cigarette.
What we are witnessing today is a total abandonment of that promised commitment to the youths, and instead, under this Granger regime, jail seems to be the order of the day for many, especially for young black boys.
In November 2017, a 25-year-old construction worker, Mr. Joseph, was just one of the many who were jailed for three years for being in possession of a “ganja” cigarette. He was followed in the same month by Mr. Bovell from Sophia, who was using the leaves to make tea for his sick nephew; again, three years. And over the years, they were many Guyanese who were condemned to a life in jail because of being in possession of a few leaves of a natural plant. Today, there are some 444 prisoners in jail because of a “ganja” cigarette.
But the most painful of all these stories was when Vibert “Durdy” Butts was sentenced to three years in jail for smoking “ganja” cigarette. Mr. Butts, a senior citizen, was a national football star who scored Guyana’s first World Cup goal en route to a 2-0 victory against Suriname at GCC, Bourda. In our record book, Mr. Butts is a national treasure, but today he languishes in jail, wasting his life away after being sentenced under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act (see the picture of that winning goal below).
From the above, the law regarding the use of “ganja” is outdated and out of touch with reality. Why would a government want to waste, over three years, G$2.7 million to house, clothe and feed a prisoner for being in possession of a “ganja” cigarette, when that “ganja” cigarette costs only approximately G$500? Can’t they see how disproportionately the cost benefit analysis is? Today Mr. Butts is exposed to the worst of the society in a confined space, which can result in him being sexually and mentally abused.
Why can’t Guyana make possession of marijuana into a business, where persons in possession of the product are fined? Isn’t this what the Grenadian system did in the case of Derrick Patterson, the brother of the Minister of Public Infrastructure? Mr. Patterson pleaded guilty to being in possession of controlled narcotics, and his product was confiscated, he was deported, and he was fined US$27,750, which served as real income to that country’s economy. The Grenadians get it!
In Guyana, on the other hand, what we are observing is zero commitment from the political rulers to deal with this matter.
Credit has to go to former President Bharrat Jagdeo, who has advised the nation that the PPP “will support the decriminalization of the act of being in possession of small amounts of ganja “for personal recreational use”. The AFC also has finally woken up after two years of ignoring the work of Mr. Carrington.
So why has the leadership of the AFC, the so-called Gang of 6, buried the work of Mr. Carrington for more than 2 years in bureaucratic bushwhack? That question brings us to the statement from the de-facto CEO of Guyana, Mr. Joseph Harmon. Mr. Harmon clarified that for his Government, “decriminalizing the use of this substance is not on its immediate radar”.
This position from Mr. Harmon and his PNC colleagues in the coalition is unfortunate. This Bill (No.17 of 2015) that was put forward in the name of Mr. Carrington was designed to soften penalties for possession of marijuana for personal use. It is clear that the PNC has reneged on its promise to the youths, and has sold them out. They will not be forgiven on this one; that I know.
