Pubdate: 11 Aug 1998 Source: The Province (Vancouver, B.C.) Contact: http://www.vancouverprovince.com/newsite/news-c.html Author: Jason Proctor - Staff Reporter '66 POT BUST BARS REGGAE STAR A lack of documentation and a love of ganja prevented reggae legend Frederick (Toots) Hibbert from taking to a Vancouver stage on the weekend. The 30-year veteran of the reggae scene was scheduled to play with his band, the Maytals, at Richards on Richards Sunday night. But plans changed when Canadian officials unearthed an ancient police record. "It's sad. We worked hard on promoting this," said Robert Foort, whose Pacific Concert Productions co-promoted the event. "It was looking like it was going to be a good show - but it was a no-show." Toots Hibbert was jailed in Jamaica for a year on charges of marijuana possession back in 1966. Pot is a central part of reggae life, and after his release from prison Hibbert released a song called "54-46 (That's My Number)" to commemorate his jail time. Since then, Hibbert has performed in Canada dozens of times. Foorst said it came as a surprise to Toots and his manager when he was denied a visa unless he could produce a letter from Jamaican police and bank statements. "There was just no time to do it," said Foort. Toots and the Maytals were also forced to cancel on the Edmonton Folk Festival as a result of the visa problems. Ironically, they went instead to the United States, whose drug laws are notoriously tougher than Canada's. - --- Checked-by: "Rolf Ernst"