Gun amnesty coming - J’cans get last chance to surrender illegal weapons

Calls for a gun amnesty to be declared in Jamaica appear to have found favour with the Andrew Holness-led government.

National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang on Thursday carried the proposed new law to Parliament, which, among other things, provide the framework for a firearms amnesty to be declared.

"This amnesty will allow persons who are in possession of illegal firearms to surrender these firearms and ammunition to the state without prosecution," Chang said.

"As the Government advances our thrust to get every illegal gun, it is our intention to provide citizens with an opportunity to surrender their illegal guns as soon as this new bill is signed into law," he added.

Prime Minister Holness has announced a new campaign targeting gunmen. Under the initiative, a reward system will be put in place where between $250,000 and $500,000 will be paid for illegal weapons.

The bill, which was tabled by Chang yesterday, proposes to repeal and replace the Firearms Act with a new, robust gun law aimed at eliminating the illegal manufacture, trafficking, possession, proliferation and use of prohibited weapons, particularly through the provision of appropriate penalties which deter such activities.

Chang noted that it was important to put in place new gun control legislation, pointing out that in the last 25 years, Jamaica has recorded on average 1,270 murders annually - the vast majority being committed with illegal guns.

"Guns are the weapons of choice for criminals in Jamaica. These predominantly young men find power in the trigger of a gun. They seek respect by causing fear and creating terror in communities that are hostage to these gun slinging hoodlums. The risk of being apprehended while in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition outweighs the consequences," Chang said.