[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Ministry of Public Security has announced that from Tuesday, September 01, at 9 am it will begin receiving illicit firearms with no questions asked and persons submitting will not be prosecuted, as part of the gun amnesty period.
An advertisement in the local newspaper warned that when the one-month amnesty is up, persons found in possession of illegal weapons and ammunition will be prosecuted in accordance with the laws.
According to the advisory, “all transactions in this amnesty period will be treated with strict confidentiality,” and listed police stations throughout the country where firearms, ammunition or explosives could be handed in between 9 am and 4 pm.
The stations in ‘A’ Division are the Timehri, Ruimveldt, East La Penitence, Brickdam and Alberttown police stations. In ‘B’ Division guns can be turned in at the Fort Wellington, Blairmont, Central, Albion, Whim, No.51, Springlands and Mibicuri police stations. In ‘C’ division, the police stations are: Sparendaam, Beterverwagting, Vigilance, Cove and John, Mahaica and Mahaicony.
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan had noted that the programme is one in a box of options that will be utilized to reduce the level of crime, violence and insecurity in the country.
“As it were, we have to do a lot more to prevent these arms and ammunitions from coming in through the very long borders that we have with Brazil and Venezuela and even those brought through custom security,” Minister Ramjattan said.
He noted that reducing the number of illegal firearms on the streets and gun-related crime will be a hard task, but one that the new Ministry is prepared to try.
I am with you all the way
Provide an incentive for illegal gun owners to turn in their arms. Seek the participation of the business community. They have just as much to loose as anyone else who is victimized by gun crimes. Encourage these cheap scates to get up off their money it may just save their life.
One month is not enough….Though this first step is good , a broader approach might be more effective : Use the less intimidating offices of NGOs and Churches….This is definitely too short
The criminals with the intention of going on an operation, if caught with the illegal operation will now have one month to make excuses that they were in the process of handing in the illegal arms and ammunition whereas they had other intentions. There will now be more guns in the hands of criminals who specialised in crime and criminality during daylight hours