It is no secret that the majority of the population of St Kitts has at some time in their lives been involved with either growing or selling Cannabis and one of the CHALAWA sons has just come out of prison for the following reason.
Several months ago unemployed Bignell aged 23 was stopped and searched by the police and a small quantity of the weed enough for about 3 smokes was found in his pockets. He was arrested put in the overnight cell and bailed to appear before the courts.
Several months went by he had heard nothing about about the charges and was stupid enough to get onto a bus with a bag full of high smelling cannabis. As he went to the back seats he passed an off duty policeman who smelt the weed and quietly instructed the driver to go straight to the Police Station. The copper got out of the bus returning with other officers who arrested Bignall. He was duly charged and sentenced to 2 months in prison good behaviour and he was out in one month.

In the early years of knowing this family I went with one of the sons on a ‘Cannabis run’ and was stunned about the distribution of newly grown weed which is given free to members of the family who in exchange give quantities of home grown vegetables, baking and other foods. A sack full of cannabis can yield several boxes of foods for entire families and believe me they need the food because there are no real jobs unemployment is high with NO benefits!