Firearms Bill Approved by the House

The House of Representatives on Wednesday (September 7), passed the new Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act.

The Bill establishes a dual regime, distinguishing between prohibited weapons or unregulated firearms and activities connected thereto, and firearms that are duly authorised or registered.

Closing the debate, Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, said the legislation will be kept under constant review.

“We have indicated seven years for review because of the nature of the Jamaican society, cases still take a long time to plea, and we can monitor it effectively on an empirical basis up to seven years,” Dr. Chang said.

He noted that it was important to send a message to the country that as a Parliament, “we are strong on the issue [of crime and violence]”.

“We intend it to be a Bill to act as a deterrent and will bring to bear some success on dealing with what is our most troubling activity in the society,” Dr. Chang said.

The Bill outlines the objectives that speak to establishing a framework that prohibits firearms and ammunition that are illicitly traded, and which regards possession of those prohibited firearms and ammunition as the foundation on which other heinous and violent crimes are committed.

In addition, under the new legislation, the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) will be established as a body corporate.

As a body corporate, the Authority will have its own legal identity and will now be empowered to perform several activities, to include entering into contracts in its own name, initiating and responding to legal claims, acquiring real and personal property, and using its own official seal.