Boaters fined over weekend ganja smoking
(CNS): Two men who were nabbed by the joint Customs, Police and Immigration Marine Unit for smoking ganja while aboard a boat at Rum Point last month have been fined $600 by the courts after pleading guilty to possession and consumption of the drug. Police said the pair was arrested on Sunday, 19 July after the marine unit had received complaints that ganja was being smoked in the area. “We often receive complaints from people about ganja being smoked at Rum Point on the weekends,” said Inspector Brad Ebanks. “This is a popular destination for families and small children and it’s a real concern for parents.”
On July 19 the Marine Unit responded to complaints that ganja was being smoked in the area by a group of young boaters. Police identified the suspects and searched the boat. The search revealed a small amount of ganja and a partially used ganja cigarette. Two men were subsequently charged with possession and consumption of ganja and were fined $250 and $350 dollars each after they pleaded guilty.
“We will continue to ensure that families and young children can enjoy the Rum Point and Kaibo areas without the fear of encountering illegal drug use. We regularly patrol this area on weekends to ensure safety for everyone due to the large amounts of boaters. However, it seems that there are some who spoil this family gathering tradition by consuming drugs, this we will have to pay closer attention to,” Inspector Ebanks said adding that anyone who witnesses this behaviour should make a report to police.
Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling Crime Stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.
Category: Local News
It is very frustrating listening to the people on this site comment on an herb they obviously know very little about. All Caymanians should know by now that alcohol is really at the heart of most dometic, sexual, and road problems here. These problems aren’t just a bunch of goofing off like smoking ganja is either. Alcohol brings the true agression out of people and costs people’s lives on a daily basis.
To the man who wouldn’t hire a pot-smoker: While many people find it hard to think of this issue as being an issue about prejudices, that is exactly what it is. You cannot judge a man’s work performance based on whether he recreationally uses a drug. It is so easy, even for the most extremely intelligent people to fall for these stereotypes. Employee drug tests are an extreme invasion of privacy and I am sure in the decades to come we will look back on ourselves in horror. Let a person do what they want in their free time and only if it affects their work should you step in.
I personally have stopped visiting Rum Point on Sundays because I know everyone is just going to get wasted, start some fights, get half-naked and start dancing on their boats. I’ve seen it far too many times. Children’s environment? You have to be dreaming. I would rather get some more ganja out there to chill out some of these thugs and women in heat and maybe you can talk about a kid’s environment.
What about the young Caymanian Boys that are in Prison for the same amount of ganja and who are serving years in prison for the same amount of ganja that was found on them????
Does the Law change when you are on the ocean and less penalty for smoking ganja???
What was the real reason for the two men getting away with such an offense???
To: Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/24/2009 – 15:48.
Hope you’re sure that you don’t already have "weed heads" working at your company…and "crack heads"! or thieves or any other law breakers.
I echo previous commentator’s sentiment regarding renegade jet skiers. They operate close to shore at outrageous speeds (surely many under some illicit influence). I have witnessed too many close calls and near accidents in weekends near Kaibo. It is but a matter of time until a tragic and avoidable collision occurs either with one of their colleagues or a swimmer or a boat. Will it take a family’s pain and suffering with a parapalegic kid, or an untimely death to bring about a will of enforcement against these showboating douchebags?
What is more dangerous??? Someone smoking a splif, or someone running by your boat while your children are in the water on a jet ski very fast??? I dont smoke but I will say this much, give me the guy with the splif any day.
Are you suggesting that driving a boat under the infulence of ganja is less dangerous or irresponsible than someone who drinks and then operate the boat?
Seize them and their boats I say in keeping with our old traditions Pirates aaaaaaaarrrrh You captain your boat under the influence of drug or alchol should warrant a penalty my friend I think we should auction off the person rather than the boat though. Make him walk the blank with sharks in the water since he wants to endanger other people lives. some people are sooooo selfish.
The topic here was in reference to people smoking weed on their Boats at Rum Point.
Since you anonymous are not a Boat Owner, you obviously hold a grudge against those who do and would like to see the things you suggest happen to Boat Owners.
Put your money where your mouth is or stfu.
What will the anonymous posters think of next.
I spent a lifetime working to buy my Boat.
If you want more of Governments money, maybe you could do some work for it instead of suggesting that government seize peoples boats to pay you for sitting on your butt all week long doing nothing.
As a luxury, pleasure boats should be more heavily taxed and subject to higher, better enforced licence fees.
Maybe you aren’t smoking weed on or drinking and driving your boat! The minute you put other people’s lives in danger you should lose your boat, car, whatever it is.
If you don’t do anything illegal you don’t have to worry about losing your boat.
Is Anonymous suggesting that the penalty for driving a boat under the infulence should be greater than driving a car drunk. no one looses their car for DUI.
I’m happy to hear this. I too have smelt ganja at Rum Point on a Sunday. This isn’t something anyone should have to call in and report to the police. The smell is so obvious out there. The police need to maintain a presence and cut this kind of behaviour in the bud straight away.
On the same token, the police need to do something about the dozens of boat captains that spend the whole day drinking at Rum Point and then drive the boats home at night. Again, this isn’t something we should have to report to the police. The abuse is obvious.
We need to start confiscating some of these ‘assets’, auction them and pay off some of the country’s debt.
Good start tho!
Sorry there not on holiday and there a whole lot more than Rum Point to Police so intelligence is a very important part of Policing.
I just hate to read stories like this, name the individuals who were fined in Court. They were found GUILTY, so name them.
Name and Shame them CNS.
So when these weed heads come seeking employment with my Company, I would turn their application down.
Same goes for the individuals who are caught doing wrong.
Name and shame them.
If you want peoples names, how about becoming unanonymopus yourself.
If you want to lead, do it by example.
What a BIG bust a spliff good Job!
i was out at Rum Point yesterday afternoon with my family and another family on our boat and on four different occasions I had to shout at jets skies flying passed our boat inside the 200 yard markers, it has gotten to the stage that myself and kids can only swin within ten feet on the boat without the fear of being hit by jet skies. on the occasion the there is police presence out on sundays within that area I have only witnessed them stopping and talking to these offenders. I cant understand why jet skies are not made to have decals on them so that a database can be used by the police to work out if it is the same person that is being cauctioned every time.( in the police’s defence i do understand the shift pattern that they work on so it could be a whole month before the same officer is back on duty on a sunday). these machines are capable of doing 60-70 MPH and cost up to 14K, why are we not making them pay a yearly licensing fee and forcing them to have decals( license plate) on them?, the same goes for boats, I pay my fee each year but from what i have been told only about 20% do, if you can afford a boat/jetski you can afford the yearly fee!, based on the figures for what I pay each year for my boat the goverment is missing out on at least 250k yearly in revenue from this , someone please let me know why this is not enforced.
Does seem a little harsh for a couple of splifs on a boat but probably needs to be to encourage Caymanians to do something with their lives other than smoking gear and moaning about the expats taking their jobs
Shut up stupid! You probably smoke more than anyone else why you’re passing such a stupid comment!
Wow, didn’t you just prove his/her point?
To seems a little harsh, 14:59 what planet are you from, are you trying to stir up strife, what crazy stupid comments, like "caymanians need to do something with their lives" if you cant respond in line with the topic dont respond at all, you are an ignorant expat, now does that sounds good, no, it sucks, so stop the BS
These were expat kids whose parents are lawyers hence the slap on the wrist. Third kid wasn’t even charged.
Seems Caymanians aren’t the only ones idle we just pay more when we are.
$250 is peanuts. law have no teeth. night in prison sort them out best.