'Gun Amnesty By Itself Seems Not to Work': Political Analyst
Political Analyst: ‘Gun Amnesty By Itself Seems Not to Work’ – After Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced there will be cash incentives for anyone who turns in an illegal gun, Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang is coupling that initiative with a gun amnesty; this gives people immunity from sanctions when they surrender their illegal guns to the police. Given the history of gun amnesties in Jamaica, our reporter Velonique Bowen has spoken with Political Analyst Kevin O’Brien Chang who says gun amnesty can be effective if coupled with stricter sanctions for illegal firearms.
Sources say those amnesties were a mere drop in the bucket as the guns surrendered were just a tiny fraction of the guns that were in circulation at the time.
In addition, crime statistics show the murder rate in the year of the first amnesty was 102, meanwhile, Jamaica has recorded almost twice that number so far in 2022.
This surfaces the question, if it didn’t work then, why would it work now? O’Brien Chang says if the amended firearms act has more stringent penalties for anyone found with an illegal firearm it may convince criminals to surrender their guns out of fear of the new sanctions.
Reporter: Velonique Bowen
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