KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Minister of National Security, Dr Horace Chang, has sought to assure the nation that persons, who hand over firearms and ammunition during the two-week gun amnesty that takes effect on Saturday, November 5, will have their identities protected.

Chang gave the assurance on Tuesday in the House of Representatives as he unveiled the amnesty which will run until midnight on Saturday, November 19.

“I want to emphasise that the aim of this measure is not to reveal the identities of the persons who comply with the amnesty,” Chang said after tabling and opening the debate on the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) (Firearms Amnesty) Order 2022.

The order outlines that licensed firearm holders in possession of expired authorisations may surrender their weapons to the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA).

Additionally, members of the general public may surrender a firearm and, or ammunition to any sub-officer or senior sub-officer on duty at any police station. They may also submit same to any designated officer at any FLA location or to an attorney-at-law on behalf of an individual seeking the amnesty. The attorney will deliver the firearm or ammunition to the nearest police station.

The security minister warned persons to make use of the amnesty in light of the fact that the new Firearms Act with significantly stiffer penalties of up to life imprisonment for gun crimes, took effect on Tuesday of this week.

“I am urging those possessing illegal firearms or ammunition to make full use of the amnesty, because when it expires on November 19, 2022, those who refuse to surrender their firearms and ammunition, once convicted, will face stiff penalties,” Chang said.

In justifying the amnesty, despite pessimism in some quarters about whether it will be successful, Chang pointed out that “…they have been used successfully around the world as an operational tool to reduce the high levels of armed violence resulting from the proliferation of firearms and ammunition”.

He also pointed out that over the last 25 years, Jamaica recorded on average 1,270 murders annually, the vast majority being committed with illegal firearms.

“The firearm is the weapon of choice for murders and other acts of crime and armed violence in Jamaica. The proliferation of illegal firearms continues to hinder national growth and advancement, and has become the biggest threat to citizens’ peace and security,” Chang lamented.

Despite the challenges, he pointed out that the security forces have maintained a steady rate of firearm seizures over the years.

“Since 2018, the security forces have taken more than 3,200 illegal firearms from the streets and in excess of 53,000 rounds of ammunition. Each year, they have seized upwards of 625 firearms. In fact, as at October 31, 2022, a total of 652 firearms have been seized. This represents an 11 per cent increase over the 585 recorded for the similar period in 2021,” Chang told the House.