pay up or go to court, it was revealed yesterday.

Around 40 people escaped a fine a few weeks ago after a magistrate dismissed their cases because a reminder notice had not been sent within six months of the date of issue.

Cases were put on hold while Government passed a new law to close the legal loophole.

And yesterday a Government spokesman said: "Notices are being sent out this week in respect of 4,700 outstanding parking tickets which have been in limbo since this matter arose.

"Magistrates' Court is now notifying these people that their cases are still on the books and that they need either to pay the tickets at the original pre-problem rate of $50 or exercise their option to appear before a magistrate.'' The spokesman added that the six-month reminder law had not been scrapped as a result of the legal re-write.

He said: "It was suspended only for those traffic tickets issued before the validation Act came into effect, in order to overcome this technical problem.'' And he warned: "Administrative steps have now been taken in Magistrate's Court to ensure that those issued with parking tickets who allow the deadline for payment to pass receive follow-up notices well within the six-month period allowed by the law.'' BAIL SET AT $10,000 CTS Bail set at $10,000 Bail was yesterday set at $10,000 for a man accused of importing more than 2,000 grams of cannabis.

Michael Kelly, an American, pleaded not guilty to importing cannabis on March 23 and not guilty to possessing it with intent to supply.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Donald Grant asked Senior Magistrate Will Francis for the large bail sum "due to the large amount, which is in excess of 2,200 grams of cannabis with a street value well in excess of $100,000''.

Lawyer Marc Telemaque is representing Kelly.

COURTS CTS