Section 17: Penalties.

(1) Where a punishment in respect of an offence is provided by an enactment, the enactment shall be construed as providing that an offender shall be liable in pursuance of the enactment to a punishment not exceeding the punishment so provided.
(2) Where imprisonment in respect of an offence is provided by an enactment, the enactment shall be construed as providing that any imprisonment imposed in pursuance of the enactment in respect of the offence shall be-
(a) with or without hard labour as the court imposing the imprisonment may in its discretion direct;
(b) with hard labour if no such direction is given.
(3) Where a punishment is set out at the foot of an enactment, the enactment shall be construed as providing that a contravention of the enactment shall be an offence for which an offender shall be liable, subject to subsection (1) of this section, to the punishment so set out.