Trini fined for ganja on Tobago beach

A TRINIDADIAN youth held with six grammes of marijuana on the beach at Mt Irvine, was on Monday fined $2,500 by Scarborough Senior Magistrate Annette McKenzie. Omali Dingchong, 19, of Maraval, was arrested on Saturday by PC Charles McKenzie, of the E999 Rapid Response Unit. Dingchong, who pleaded guilty, claimed he had come to Tobago to join his family and seek employment “to make a better life.” He begged for time to pay the fine.

The Magistrate rejected his pleas and said his relatives had just under an hour to secure the sum, failing which he would have to serve 60 days in jail with hard labour. “You 19, you not working, and the first week of your permanent stay in Tobago you on the beach with six grammes of marijuana! You coming here to look for work, you starting off on the very wrong foot in Tobago,” the Magistrate told Dingchong. “I know it is a big mistake and I guarantee you wouldn’t see my face in this court again. I guarantee you this!” the young man swore. The court heard that PC McKenzie was in plainclothes and on duty at the Mt Irvine beach area around 10 am Saturday, when he saw Dingchong, standing on the beach, looking at a substance he had taken from his pocket. McKenzie confronted and searched him, and found a black plastic bag with marijuana in his right hand.