SOME Jamaicans say if they are allowed to carry pepper spray it could help to protect lives, but believe such a privilege could be abused on a wide scale.

On Tuesday, Leader of Opposition Mark Golding brought two Bills to Parliament which contained proposals for the Offensive Weapons (Prohibition) and Firearms Act to be amended to allow civilians wishing to protect themselves to carry pepper spray. Golding said crimes, especially against women, is a big problem and pointed out that often they become victims of abduction and other forms of violence. He said it is important to empower women to protect themselves.

We took to the street and asked if civilians should be allowed to carry pepper spray:

Edwin Rowe

In some spaces maybe it could work but I think it could be bad otherwise because it could reach in the wrong hands at times so it could be dangerous. I would get it, but everybody is not like me. You know how dem youth yah stay nowadays, dem probably have it and use it in robbery and that is not what it is supposed to be.

Jacqueline Brown

I don’t agree with that because it is very dangerous. People weh a rob people can walk wid it and suppose dem buck me now and spray it inna my eye, me blind or something and dem tek advantage of me.

Marcia Parchment

They should not be allowed to carry pepper spray. It can save you yes, but you can get inna trouble fi it.

Ants man

It all depends. A nuff likkle foolishness a gwaan a road right now. A Jamaica dis so it all depends on who will have it, where, when and why. That a my thing.

Macka

No sah. Mi nuh believe inna da one deh. People a go use it and do certain type a thing weh dem nuh supposed to do. Him ago want spray people. If you even seh nothing to a man weh him nuh like, him tek out him pepper spray and spray yuh, all if it is joke. No Jamaican nuh supposed to be allowed fi get pepper spray. Dat nuh suppose to be legal.

Xavier Johnson

Yea man, sure, to defend themselves. Anybody a rob you, you can use it.

Livi

Pepper spray is a no no. Jamaicans pon a whole, abuse things. Just like a man wid di gun, him feel him have the power over everybody. The least of things, because him have him gun, him want run go fi it fi kill you. A person weh have a pepper spray and know him can blind you then do something to you. People need fi get permit fi carry dem thing deh.