ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – The Dominica authorities Thursday introduced a month-long gun and the unlawful possession of ammunition amnesty forward of going to Parliament and considerably amending the laws permitting for stiffer penalties for gun-related crimes.
Nationwide Safety Minister Rayburn Blackmoore instructed a information convention that the amnesty would start subsequent month, and the proposed legislative adjustments would additionally permit individuals to be denied bail whereas awaiting trial on gun prices.
“A gun and ammunition amnesty will start on the primary of October, 2023, and finish on the thirty-first of October, 2023,” he mentioned, recalling that such an amnesty. He had been provided in 2007.
He mentioned that based mostly on the present state of affairs, he felt the necessity to suggest that one other gun and ammunition amnesty “be provided to the nation for a brief interval.
“Let me simply say {that a} gun and amnesty program is a interval for nonprosecution that enables folks to give up their unlawful or unregistered firearms with out worry of authorized jeopardy or being charged or prosecuted.
“This amnesty is directed to 2 distinct units of individuals. Firstly, those that know that they’ve unlawful firearms or ammunition, and secondly, those that are maybe harmless custodians of a weapon, part, or shot and probably even uncertain about its authorized standing however are too frightened to do something about it.
The Nationwide Safety Minister, flanked by Police Commissioner Daniel Carbon, mentioned the unlawful firearms and ammunition might be surrendered at any police station.
He mentioned the Roosevelt Skerrit administration would go to Parliament following the amnesty interval to amend the prevailing laws.
“As soon as this (amnesty) interval has expired, the federal government will go to Parliament, which can considerably strengthen our gun and bail act. Shut each loophole (and) after that, in case you are discovered with an unlawful firearm or ammunition, you’ll go to jail for no less than 5 years.
“Should you use an unlawful firearm after that to harm anyone…or God forbid kill anyone, you’ll wait in jail till the trial date of the case,” Blackmoore mentioned.
He mentioned when the federal government had repealed the Firearms Act in 2011, the intention of the Parliament was clear.
“Penalties should considerably improve,” he mentioned.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Skerrit urged Unlawful firearm holders to show of their firearms to the police after the island recorded 12 murders this 12 months.
“The police are taking a zero tolerance to those issues, and I wish to urge folks with unlawful firearms to make a method in getting it to the police. The police can facilitate you in getting it to them.”
Skerrit mentioned the police have been working with some teams to get the unlawful firearms off the streets.
“I’ve mentioned to many individuals that when you may have a firearm, you all the time run the chance of utilizing it, and whenever you promote it, you can be promoting it to somebody who will come again and kill you, or kill your mom, or kill your brother,” Skerrit mentioned, including “and so, the possession and the buying and selling of firearms is just not for a rustic like Dominica. It’s too small for this.”
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