– also threatens to revoke scores of gun licences
– worried about rental of legal guns to criminals
The Guyana Government is worried that private firearm holders may be renting weapons to criminals and will therefore be clamping down on the issuance of gun licences to civilians.
And in the fullness of time, government wants firearms to be in the hands of primarily law enforcement officers.
This is according to President David Granger, who indicated that private citizens should depend on the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for protection.
“We would like to see fewer weapons in the hands of private citizens. It is my personal view that weapons should be used by law enforcement agencies…,” he stated during the recording of his weekly podcast ‘The Public Interest’ which will be aired this weekend.
President Granger said he wants to reduce the number of legal and illegal guns off the streets since he is concerned that even legally issued firearms are being used to conduct criminal activities.
“We have heard stories now where legitimate firearm licences holders who rent their weapons out to criminals who will go rob somebody and maybe give them a part of the booty,” he said.
The President is also concerned about the illegal weapons entering Guyana from Brazil and signalled intentions to up border control to get the guns off the streets.
“Our biggest problem is the fact that we have a border with Brazil which is the border’s largest producer and exporter of small arms. Many illegal weapons are traced to Brazil…,” he noted.
Just last month, police unearthed a large cache of arms and ammunition in a yard in Lethem, close to the Brazilian border.
To support the move to limit the number of firearms owned by civilians, government will establish a core of wardens vested with law enforcement authority.
These wardens will be dispatched to operate in the gold mining, timber and tourism industries to provide protection to the respective sectors, according to the President.
Already, government has hiked the fees for gun licences.
Additionally, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had also announced that scores of gun licences will be revoked in order to weed out those that had been wrongfully issued.
His announcement followed the gun amnesty programme which saw persons turning in unlicensed firearms but police reports indicate that most of the weapons collected came from hinterland locations where residents used the guns for hunting purposes and not for criminal activities.
Notably, as government moves to reduce the issuance of firearms, families have been using those weapons as protection against criminals who are now perceived to be emboldened.
Just on Wednesday, a suspected bandit was shot and killed by a miner during an attempted robbery at his home in the Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.
According to reports, there are at least 10,000 licensed firearms in the hands of civilians.
(Guyana Times)
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It is my opinion that the government is now trying to say things between the lines..Why are they only talking about private legitimate firearm holders after the bandit was killed. I hope they are not tying to say that he Shoukd not have killed the bandit.
The miner has a right to protect himself and famiky and so do others. As the state is not doing anything to protect hard working Guyanese
This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. They are countless bandits with high power guns and this president is talking about stop the issuing of gun licenses to civilians and the possibility of revoking gun licenses owner.
Mr President, only two day ago bandits have attempted to rob a miner and because he’s a licensed firearm holder, he was able to protect his life and his family. What you are saying make no sense whatsoever.
I have not seen you propose a plan to get the criminals off the street and to get their high powerful weapons. Basically you are letting the thrives know that soon the cilivans will have no defence.
You are saying trust the police, just like the accusations you are making about guns for rental by civilians where you have not provided any evidence. We can’t say the same for the police force. How many police have we seen in the news that rob innocent people? While not all the police are the same but they are a few that break the laws that they were sworn to protect.
Mr president you need to better educate yourself about what’s going on in Guyana, bandits is on the rise and you have bigger problems to solve than rather taking away the only defence to innocent people of this county.
Thanks!
When guns are outlawed, then only outlaws will carry guns.
This is another form of Totalitarian rule.
If a govt cannot protect its citizens, then that Govt has FAILED and its left to the people to defend themselves against Crime and Terror.
Remember the first act of the PNC Regime was to take firearms away from Guyanese citizens and then the suffering began.
It is totally absurd that you will take away legally issued guns to private law abiding citizens. Not because of one or two idiots you will paint everyone with a broad brush!!!! Come on Mr Presey. You can do better than this. This is the wrong message to the criminals!!!
Enforce your borders, take away guns from criminals, not law abiding citizens!!!! You have tried the 2am curfew…failed!..gun amnesty…failed!….operation dragnet…failed!..
It is my opinion that the government is now trying to say things between the lines..Why are they only talking about private legitimate firearm holders after the bandit was killed. I hope they are not tying to say that he Should not have killed the bandit.
The miner has a right to protect himself and family. The same goes for others, as the State is not doing anything to protect hard working Guyanese