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News

Gov't carrying out audit of arms, ammo

BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com

Wednesday, February 08, 2012



THE national security ministry has started an islandwide audit of guns and ammunition in police divisions in order to prevent them from being re-introduced into the society and ending up in criminal hands.

According to National Security Minister Peter Bunting, some of firearms and rounds have been in the stockpile for decades.

He was addressing the opening ceremony of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLiREC) at the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Armoury at Elletson Road in Kingston.

The audit, which is being carried out by the Firearms Licensing Authority (FLA), has so far covered three parishes.

UNLiREC experts are currently in Jamaica conducting training on proper destruction and stockpile management of firearms and ammunition.

Under the initiative, the Government aims to destroy in excess of 4,600 firearms and over 3,000 rounds of ammunition.

Ministry officials said the guns and ammunition were received from the FLA, the JCF, the Jamaica Defence Force and also from licensed firearm holders who would have left the guns for safe keeping but have not returned for them.

Yesterday, 2,000 guns were destroyed at a location in Kingston and half-a-ton of ammunition is expected to be destroyed at the Police Academy at Twickenham Park, St Catherine today.

As a part of UNLiREC's intervention, Jamaica will also now have specially trained persons who are certified to conduct the relevant checks and balances before, during and after destruction of firearms and ammunition.

While Jamaica currently has a machine to destroy small arms and ammunition, with UNLiREC's input, repairs will be carried out on the existing machine and a hydraulic shear is also due in the island to aid in the exercise.


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COMMENTS (2)

D T
2/8/2012
@ Red Ants I agree with you, gangs in Ja should be a thing of the past. I want to see this govt take a hard stance against them, especially the ones in Spanish Town and Mobay. I have to say I disagree with the PNP decision not to extend the SOE to those areas a few years back. If that had happen then we would not have this issue today. Now is time for them to show us they are serious, push these gangs out of Ja the majority of us support you. The only don in Ja should be the PM.
RED ANTS
2/8/2012
I fully understand the destruction of these guns since we cannot trust our own police force.I am assuming some of these weapons were seize.Bunting don't forget the One Order,Klansman and the newly created Unity gangs in St.Catherine.If it even must take spy plane to find their nest request it.no gangs should have rights in Jamaica.

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