Throne Speech: Firearms Act to be updated to allow for plea negotiations
The Government is taking steps to update the Firearms Act during the course of the 2025/26 legislative year which got underway Thursday. The updates will include a framework for plea negotiations, among other things.
The Act, which took effect in November 2022, has resulted in much longer sentences for gun offences.
Custos of Kingston, Steadman Fuller said the amendment is “consequent to the effectiveness of the new mandatory minimum penalty (in the new Firearms Act), which has increased the level of interest among accused persons in entering guilty pleas”.
Fuller was speaking Thursday at Gordon House as he delivered the 2025 Throne Speech which outlines the Government’s legislative priorities for the new parliamentary year.
Fuller said updates will also be made to the Proceeds of Crime Act and the Fingerprints Act, alongside a comprehensive reform of the Corrections Act. And the Child Offender Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration Strategy will also be launched to support transformative justice.
The custos highlighted that the country’s border security is being modernised through the National Visa Policy and amendments to the Immigration Restriction (Commonwealth Citizens) Act and the Aliens Act. This is in addition to a planned review of the National Correctional Services Policy and Corrections Act to reinforce the Government’s commitment to offender rehabilitation and reintegration.
“The Government remains committed to reducing major crimes, improving public order, and enhancing public safety,” Fuller said.
He pointed to “significant progress” being made in modernising Jamaica’s anti-crime policies and legislative framework to achieve these goals in accordance with Plan Secure Jamaica. In this regard, he noted that the amendments to the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency Act and the Interception of Communications Act have strengthened investigative tools, enabling more effective action against organised crime and firearm offences.
Fuller outlined that as part of efforts to integrate legislation, technology, infrastructure, and social investment in creating a safer Jamaica, the JamaicaEye CCTV network is expanding, and the C5 Security Business Solution contract is advancing data-driven policing. He also pointed to renovations at 17 police stations, ongoing construction of divisional headquarters, and the near completion of the Forensic Pathology Autopsy Suite which he said are enhancing law enforcement capacity.
