From fines in the millions, imprisonment for life, to a gun amnesty and firearms registry, the new Firearms Act of 2022 is expected to significantly reduce gun crimes. Security Minister Dr Horace Chang, brought the raft of changes to the legislation on Tuesday in his Parliamentary address.
Mere hours after Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson announced a 6 per cent increase in murders for the year up to the end of August, the Security Minister showed his hand in the pushback to weeding out crime and violence. His weapon of design, an overhaul for the Firearms Act. The Minister notes Jamaica’s murders are largely carried out with the gun, enough justification for firing back hard with massive penalties if properly enforced.
Most of the offenses such as extortion by threat of ownership of a firearm, to manufacturing or exporting illegal guns could easily land a person in prison for anywhere between five years to life or see them being slapped with millions in fines. Dr Chang has however expressed plans to bring about an amnesty before the law takes effect.
And what of the firearm licensing authority, they will also be impacted by several changes such as now being a body corporate, and replacing the appeals board with a review panel additionally. In addition, the Minister has announced a firearms registry. Watch the report:
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