MINISTER of National Security Dr Horace Chang says that the issue of how many guns a single licensed firearm holder can legally own, at any one time, should be addressed in the regulations for the current Bill.

Dr Chang was responding last Wednesday to a question raised by Joint Select Committee (JSC) Government member, Senator Charles Sinclair, about recent newspaper articles naming well-known persons who had several licensed guns at the same time.

The committee has been reviewing the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act 2022 in Parliament.

Senator Sinclair noted that two prominent persons, now deceased, had been named in the press, “and there are others within the country who we have heard comments about, in relation to the number of firearm licences they had acquired”.

The Jamaica Observer had reported late February that two former government ministers, who died four months apart in 2018, left behind a total of 14 guns, which are still in the care of the Firearms Licensing Authority (FLA), the national firearms control body, awaiting disposal.

The two were former People’s National Party (PNP) Housing Minister Easton Douglas, and former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Minister of National Security Dwight Nelson.

Chang, who thanked Senator Sinclair for raising the issue, said that although he had not read any of the articles, he has been made aware of the issue. However, he felt that it should be addressed in Parliament, where it could be debated among members.

“… It seems to be something that ought to be included in the regulations rather than the Act itself, going forward,” he commented.

Dr Chang explained that the firearms in question were for sport shooting, are “very specific” and can be accommodated. However, he was concerned about the number of firearms owned by one person without involvement in any special gun shooting activity.

“I think we should look at it, and I urge that the team doing the regulations to bring this up as well, and come back with it to Parliament where we can have more discussions,” he added.

Senator Sinclair said that he was very interested in hearing from the policymakers as to why one person should be granted as many as seven handgun permits, when it is not necessary for any sport competition.

The Bill was tabled in the House of Representatives on February 10, introducing harsher penalties for offences connected to the illicit trade, manufacture, stockpiling, possession and use of illegal guns. It is aimed at addressing the challenges being experienced with respect to the proliferation of illegal firearms, and to increase the applicable penalties for breaches of provisions relating to prohibited weapons.