OPPOSITION Spokesman on National Security Peter Bunting has called for head of the Firearms Licensing Authority (FLA), Shane Dalling — a former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor — to be removed from that position, and for Security Minister Robert Montague to be replaced.

Bunting, in a release, charged that the credibility of the FLA cannot be restored under Montague’s oversight. “Even now, the outgoing FLA chairman remains as the minister’s senior security advisor and someone who the minister referred to in his 2016 Sectoral Debate presentation as his colleague, friend, big brother, and sounding board,” said Bunting.

He alleged that the minister is the architect of the politicisation of the FLA and must, therefore, be held responsible for the unfolding saga which that politicisation has facilitated.

Bunting said the Opposition had no confidence in Dalling’s continued tenure at the agency which is embroiled in controversy over the issuing of licences to persons deemed unfit.

Meanwhile, the Opposition said the resignation of FLA Chairman Dennis Wright and his board members was only a necessary first step to begin the process of re-establishing the reputation and credibility of the agency.

And he poured cold water on the review of the FLA ordered by the minister, arguing that it would make no sense because a review was recently done by a senior director at the Ministry of National Security.

“Even though that report was delivered in February 2017, there has so far been no action on its recommendations. Furthermore, the Firearms Licensing Review Board is a part of the process of firearm licensing and therefore its members cannot be regarded as objective in any review of the said process,” he stated.

Bunting insisted that an overall review and investigation should instead be carried out by the Office of the Contractor General.