By Tashieka Mair, Star Writer

WESTERN BUREAU

A Guyanese who attempted to transport drugs out of the island in order to pay for his sick child's medical bill, was given a suspended sentence in Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday.

Sherwin Gordon, 23, from Georgetown, Guyana, was sentenced to six months suspended for two years.

The father of two, who is also expecting a third, said it was desperation that brought him to this point as he did not want to lose his two-year-old daughter to malaria.

"Your Honour I only did this because I don't want to loose my child, I've already lost so many friends because of malaria," Gordon explained, after pleading guilty to possession, dealing and attempting to export 11 pounds of ganja.

He will however have to pay fines of $15,000 for possession and $62,400 for attempting to avoid a three-month prison sentence.

Gordon was arrested on February 14 at the Sangster International Airport after he checked in to board an Air Jamaica flight to Barbados. During a routine search, eight packages of ganja were found strapped to his legs.

Gordon told RM Winsome Henry that he would have received US$1000 had he been successful.

He disputed the weight claiming that he only had eight pounds and that it was the packaging that added the extra weight.