A man who admitted bringing ganja with him on his visit was fined $750 when he appeared in Summary Court Monday, 23 May.
Stewart Mayer, an American, expressed his willingness to pay the fine, but was concerned about being able to come back to Cayman.
Magistrate Grace Donalds had heard the facts of the offences and asked Mayer he had anything to say.
He told the court he hoped his foolishness would not prevent him from returning. ‘I try to be helpful and respectful to the Island,’ he said. ‘It would be a bitter disappointment if I were not allowed to return.’
He said he had come here 10 times in the past 10 years.
The magistrate explained that like matters must be treated in like manner. It would be unprecedented and unfair to other defendants not to convict him.
Mayer then wondered if his convictions amounted to deportation.
The magistrate said she had made no such order. It would be more a matter for Immigration and their determination as to whether the convictions were a bar to his re-entry.
Mayer was charged with importation and possession of ganja, importation and possession of a utensil for the consumption of ganja and consumption.
The possession charges were left on file and the magistrate imposed a fine of $250 for each of the others.
The facts of the case were presented by Crown Counsel Marlene Smith, from a summary prepared by the Customs Narcotics Enforcement Team.
On the Friday morning, Mayer was checking in for an outgoing flight. His luggage was the subject of a random search by the Cargo Dispatch Services security officer.
The officer felt a hard object in a pair of socks and checked it. It was a film canister.
Asked what was in the canister, Stewart admitted it was a little pot. He asked if the officer could confiscate it and let him slide.
Instead, Mayer was turned over to a senior officer and then to Customs. In an interview, Mayer said he had brought the ganja with him and had used it here. The quantity recovered was about two grams.
Mayer told the magistrate he had arrived in Cayman on 16 May.
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