SECURITY companies that provide armed guard services are breathing a sigh of relief over planned changes to the regulatory regime for firearms licensing, which will allow their operations to continue unhindered in certain circumstances.

In 2018 CEO of the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) Shane Dalling indicated that the changes were coming to the law to eliminate the situation where the firearms licences are issued to the principals of security companies, and not the entity itself.He explained at a meeting of a parliamentary committee at that time, that this could present a situation in which a company is waiting for as many as two years for a designated licence holder to actually receive a firearm licence.

The new regime, under the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act 2022 , establishes a process which would make the transition of licences from the holder to another individual smoother in instances where the original holder has passed or can no longer hold a licence.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer last week, Dalling noted that although the licences will now be registered to the company, the principals would still be criminally and civilly liable for any breach of the terms of those licences.“They (security companies) are 100 per cent comfortable with it…they will tell you that it’s one of the best initiatives that they have seen because they have spoken to us about how it has affected their business, especially where the principal dies and then the licences have to be transferred to someone else. It can be wound up in administrator general issues. So, it is something that they very much welcome us doing,” said Dalling.There are currently 58 security companies holding firearms business licences.Executive chairman of the Guardsman Group Kenneth Benjamin told the Observer that the change was a practical move, which benefits both the regulator and the businesses. He pointed to instances where two principals passed away, which meant legally those firearms should not be handled by the operators, “and it did cause a lot of problems”.“If I were in an accident and I die tomorrow, legally those firearms are not to be used by anybody because they’re licenced in my name. So that in case something happens to me, the business doesn’t come to a standstill. We are overjoyed, we wanted it, and it makes sense,” added Benjamin.

He said the new regime would translate to more revenue for the FLA, and less hassle for the security companies.The new Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act is now before a joint select committee of Parliament, which is hearing submissions on the provision in the law, which prescribes new offences, and imposes harsher penalties for breaches.The firearm user’s (business) licence authorises the holder to possess and use firearms or ammunition for the purpose of carrying on a business or commercial operation. Among the category of licences issued by the FLA are brokers, dealers, manufacturers, users, shooting range, gun club, gunsmith’s, range operator’s, trainers, and for antique collectors.