Dominica’s National Security and Home Affairs Minister, Rayburn Blackmoore, said the Firearm and Bail Acts will be reviewed to impose stiffer penalties on persons convicted on charges of trafficking in illegal firearms.
Recently, several gun and ammunition-related offenses have gone before the courts with several persons arrested for trafficking of firearms and ammunition.
According to Blackmoore, the government will be moving expeditiously toward “tightening legislation regarding the use of illegal weapons including a mandatory lengthy jail sentence for convicted persons.”
“We have strong gun laws in our country. However, laws are very organic and are meant to be changed with time. In that regard, in very quick order, further changes will be made to our firearms act,” Blackmoore stated.
“It means that there will be a mandatory custodian jail sentence for anyone found with, importing, or trafficking illegal firearms. That person will be out of circulation for a long time.”
Blackmoore said that recently a Bail Act was enacted into law and to bring further clarity to this piece of legislation, further strengthening to the said act will be made to ensure that bail applications can only be made before the High Court for illegal firearms matters.
He praised the various law enforcement agencies, including the Customs and police, noting that “as the island moves towards the upcoming festive season including the Independence celebrations, people will be more inclined to take their chances.”
“Therefore, there will be a greater need for greater vigilance and diligence by our police officers, Customs officers, and Dominicans as a whole,” he remarked.
The National Security Minister said that the government condemns the trafficking in illegal firearms, noting “we do not manufacture firearms, so these illegal guns come from the other side”.
“Dominica is not a gun town and therefore we as a people must ensure that this beautiful country does not descend to that level. Let me remind you that your government takes this matter very seriously and will not relent in its effort to build an effective infrastructure to intercept, recover illegal firearms and to bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said.
In the month of September, several persons appeared before the courts on gun and ammunition-related offenses, the recent being the arrest of two individuals at the Woodbridge Bay Port in Fond Cole for trafficking 20 9mm pistols and, 409 rounds of ammunition.
The problem is not stiffer penalties. it’s the poor or lack of enforcement of the already existing laws. I believe the laws are stiff as is already. Yes, there maybe some loop holes that needs to be sorted out but even though this is done and there is not better enforcement which may not result in any significant decreased in gun violence and illegal gun owner.
When I say enforcement, I am referring to both on the police and courts side of the law / system. There are times when the police have done a very good job and the court have given the accused person/ defendant a slap on the risk. The same is true on the other side, where the police have messed up and tied the court hands. Better enforcement is required on both sides of the law / system.