Christopher Serju, Star writer

Minister of Justice Mark Golding last Thursday downplayed questions about the ability of policemen and women to accurately gauge the weight of ganja seized from offenders in order to inform their arrests, as a minor issue, in light of the decriminalisation of possession of two ounces and less or smoking of ganja in public.

"The police will have to determine how they address that, that's an issue really for them," he told journalists after delivering the keynote address at the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Kingston, held at the Jamaica Pegasus, New Kingston.

"The Minister of National Security has indicated that they don't regard policing small quantities of ganja as a priority in the way in which the police spend their time. There are more serious fish to fry out there in terms of law enforcement," Senator Golding disclosed. "If a person is found with a draw of herb as they call it, or a spliff that's way below two ounces so there should be no questions."

Senator Golding also had good news for persons convicted of smoking ganja or having small amounts in their possession, prior to October 2014. He explained that when someone now applies for a copy of their criminal or police record, these convictions will be automatically deleted from their rap sheet, whether the offenders make a request for this to be done.

"The system will now automatically expunge all such convictions, once the offender applies for his or her police record. That is in already in place," Senator Golding assured.