T&T TO INTRODUCE ‘CORRUPT’ GUN SYSTEM

TRINIDAD and Tobago is going the Jamaican way with respect to the granting of firearm licences. 

But the Firearm Licensing Authority in Jamaica has been riddled with allegations of corruption, to the point where the entire board of the agency resigned amid public scandal. 

The Jamaican authority is said to have approved licences for people of questionable character, leading to the resignations of the head of the body Dennis Wright and other directors. 

After intense public pressure, Wright and his team resigned. 

More than 100 files of applicants have been referred to the police anti-corruption agency. 

One person who received a gun licence was said to be a major player in organised crime, and many applicants have come under the searchlight. 

Another person with a gun licence was charged with murder. 

His files at the authority later went missing, and have not been found. 

The political opposition said the Jamaican system is “corrupt or broken.” 

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said he was “very concerned” about the scandal. 

In T&T, the Rowley Administration is reportedly moving to establish a similar authority, removing the responsibility from the Police Service. 

The planned measure follows a study commissioned by the Government, which allegedly exposed wrongdoings in the system. 

The proposed local authority would have several responsibilities, including monitoring and regulating the issuance of licences. 

Other functions would include conducting relevant investigations, where necessary, ensuring standardised training certification, undertaking regular audits and security reviews of people and clubs with licences, and managing a ballistic identification database. 

The Firearms Act would have to be amended in order to introduce the authority. 

The local agency could run into allegations similar to that in Jamaica, where a group called National Integrity Action claimed that criminals are getting licensed firearms and are threatening “our security.” 

“The system is designed to breed corruption,” one Jamaican media commentator said. 

He added: “There is too much discretionary power in the hands of those who have the power to make this decision, and this lends itself to corruption.” 

An outspoken church leader Rev. Devere Nugent said the manner of the appointment of the authority was responsible for the Jamaican scandal.