Rastas in St James protest member’s ganja charges outside courthouse

A group of Rastafarians from the Rastafari and Grassroots Ganja Association (RAGGA) staged a demonstration outside the St James Parish Court this morning to protest one of their Rastafarian brethren being arrested and charged for possession of ganja.

The group stood silently outside the front entrance of the courthouse building with colourful placards and pieces of artwork depicting persecution of the Rastafarian community. 

They stood while awaiting the outcome of the case against Charles ‘Ras Neus’ Largie, who was arrested on December 22 last year in relation to two pounds of ganja.

The matter against Largie, who is charged with possession of and dealing in ganja, is currently ongoing.

RAGGA spokesperson, Edward ‘Firstman’ Wray, condemned Largie’s arrest as a violation of Rastafarians’ right to freely use ganja as part of their sacraments, in keeping with previous discussions that the Rastafarian community had with the Government.

“We are just having a concern that this has become information to profile us and bring us into court and into jail, after we went willingly to have these conversations with the Government,” said Wray, who also represents the Rastafari Indigenous Village in St James.

- Christopher Thomas

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