A Jamaican living overseas left the island this week very disappointed that some Jamaicans have no respect for law and order in the country.

"Whenever I return to my homeland it is always a must for me to go to Hellshire Beach to eat fish and festival but what I experienced on Easter Monday has left a bitter taste in my mouth," he said.

"When I went to the beach with my family and some friends I saw a parking area and I paid $100 for parking fee and got a piece of cardboard ticket. On approaching the gate to enter where the restaurants were I saw a Rastafarian man closing the gate each time people went through the gate.

"He closed the gate when I walked up to the gate and he told me that there was a charge of $50 for adults but children were free. I paid him $250 for the five adults in my group and I got no receipt. I also noticed that receipts were not issued to the other people.

"I understand that the beach is under the control of the Urban Development Corporation and I am shocked that no notice was posted telling members of the public that there was a charge for entering the beach, and furthermore, no receipts were being issued. It is really puzzling to know who made the decision to charge and who benefited form the money collected on Easter Monday.

"Then that was not my only disappointment. After we ordered the fish and festival we went to walk along the beach and to my shock and dismay, I saw men walking along the crowded beach selling ganja just as if they were peddling peanuts. They had the small parcels of ganja in plastic bags wrapped around their fingers and some were on a wire ring for all to see what that they were selling ganja.

"We returned to the restaurant and while waiting for our meal I was shocked to see a customer sitting inside smoking a ganja spliff while others were smoking cigarettes. My poor wife nearly had an asthma attack from the fumes.

"These restaurants should put up no smoking signs to protect the health of their customers."

It would appear that the man who was collecting fees at the gate was doing so illegally because so far there is no official announcement from the UDC that members of the public will be charged to use the beach.

It is still an offence in Jamaica to have ganja in your possession and therefore possession of ganja and smoking smoking ganja are offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act.