Tuesday’s fatal shooting of 24-year-old miner, Colin Perreria, in Tucville, Georgetown, has left Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan more determined to control firearm holders.
Speaking with reporters recently, Ramjattan disclosed that he intends to conduct a yearly review on all licensed firearm holders to ensure that they are still compatible with the criteria for issuance.
He explained that this is being done since the personality of people often change as they get older and they might not be as sound as they would have been at the time when they were evaluated before being issued with the firearm licence.
In this regard, the Minister said he intends to conduct new evaluation and review of firearm licence holders when they turn-up to renew their licences every year.
“I intend to go back and do the checks every year because some of these people get old and they get depressed, who were very valid applicants years ago. So we have to do an ongoing process and if the ongoing process is going to realise a revocation, I think it is good because after getting (the licences) you are not the same persons from age 25 to age 75,” he pointed out.
Ramjattan went on to talk about the Tucville shooting, noting that it was a very sad situation thus solidifying his approach to evaluate licence holders.
“It’s an extremely sad story; I would not believe that someone, from what I’m being told, just sees a car turn into his driveway and then he come down like a cowboy and start shooting… what is that? We got a lot of people that are not mentally sound in this place and they carry arms,” the Minister remarked.
Uh, the daily background checks and license renewal every five years isn’t enough? I mean you already give up your right to refuse search and seizure and lose part of your right to free speech. Annually? That’s a bit much. In 2014 we had a little over 400 homicides (not perfect), almost 400 (380? 360? Go to stats can for accuracy) of which were gang related. Even assuming that every homicide that wasn’t gang related involved a firearm (130? firearm caused homicides, again stats can for specifics) involved a license holder and assuming that other none-related criminals weren’t involved, it’s still not a huge number compared to the TWO MILLION license holders in Canada. Look, firearm licenses and safe storage laws are great, some of our firearm laws are weird and detrimental to an interest that is a historical and integral aspect of Canada. I can live with weird and somewhat detrimental. Hell, I can probably live with a silly and somewhat redundant annual check, but I hope you people look in the mirror and realize: “I just screwed a decent number of canadian citizens over something tragic but minor and mostly because of politics? Maybe? I think I’ll take a shower”
No, but in all seriousness, I’m a little worried about our country. This stuff indicates that our government isn’t working at maximum efficiency. We’re getting distracted and it bothers me. Why? Because I quite like Canada and I want to keep living here. It’s the best country on earth (well, to me) and I’d like it to stay that way and/or improve.
Guyana is CURSED. What the hell is going on in this country now. How can one just take the life of another just like that. Everything is going wrong in Guyana. Murders everyday, road deaths everyday, violence everyday, robberies everyday. Something is not right. We need prayers, Christian prayers, hindu prayers, muslim prayers,. Prayers and more prayers. The PPP government was so corrupt. Billions of dollars stolen. Corruption at it,s worst. Now the new Government takes over, and the Corruption continues. SHAME on Granger for not putting an end to this. The Crooked Minister of health join the team of corruption , and Granger does nothing about it. Now the Security Minister makes statements lie ,” One man drops the ball, wha the captain must do, box the man behind he head, call fuh a truck fuh drive over he head”. Now Guyanese the whole world is reading this . Is this our Minister of Security. Is this guy a lawyer. What a shame. PLease God, bless our country. Enough is enough.