Govt. is politicizing the issue of gun control - PPP

Govt. is politicizing the issue of gun control – PPP

Nov 10, 2016 News

The political opposition, People’s Progressive Party (PPP), is contending that the Government of Guyana has no grounds or evidence to support the nationwide campaign to revoke scores of firearm licenses.
General Secretary of the party, Clement Rohee, said that this move by government should be viewed from two perspectives, first as a distraction and second as an act of desperation aimed at shoring up government’s failed crime fighting policy.
Rohee added that the rationale given by Government for proceeding in this direction is “ridiculous”. “They claimed that they have been hearing stories that licensed firearm holders maybe renting their firearms to crime elements,” the GS said.
Rohee added that Government is trying politicize instead of professionalize the issue of gun control by introducing language such as gun violence prevention.
When told by journalist that the President Granger’s statements were focused on persons with multiple firearm licenses, Rohee said, “It does not matter whether it’s one or multiple firearm licences.”
“One has to assume that those individuals went through the normal process, the Licenses Approval Board, police checks were done and procedures were followed. To revoke those licenses whimsically without just cause is a matter I experienced personally.
“Those people went to the courts and the courts ruled that the firearms be reinstated,” Rohee explained. President David Granger and Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, have indicated that they will be looking at strategies to effect a reduction of both legal and illegal guns on the streets of Guyana.
The President feels that guns should be mainly in the hands of members of the various law enforcement bodies. The President made known his “personal” view, that firearms should be left mainly in the hands of police and soldiers, on this week’s edition of the televised programme—The Public Interest.

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