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Hand in illegal guns or face stiffer penalties under new law – President Ali
Kaieteur News – In a bid to reduce armed robberies in Guyana, President Irfaan Ali is calling for owners of illegal guns to hand them in now or face stiffer penalties under a new law to be implemented soon.
President Mohamed Irfaan Ali showing some Crime stats while making his statement yesterday on live television
Ali issued this call during a statement he made yesterday on live television. He was at the time speaking of the efforts his Government has made so far to reduce crimes and the policies it wants to implement for the reduction to continue.
One of those polices that he has in mind is an amendment for persons caught with illegal weapons to face stiffer penalties.
Ali believes that one of the main contributors to robbery under arms in Guyana is the existence of illegal firearms.
He said that, “although Guyana has recorded an overall reduction of robbery under arms by 32.4%, there was a sharp increase in Region One, Region 6, Region Seven and Region Nine”.
The President stated that as a result of increases in those Regions, he had decided to ask the Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, to propose an amendment for a higher penalty to be applied to persons found with illegal weapons.
Currently, a person found guilty of the unlawful possession of a firearm can face a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment at the Magistracy level.
“I’ve asked the AG to look at the laws to propose an amendment to apply the highest penalty to persons found [with] illegal weapons”, Ali said.
He then went on to say that owners of illegal weapons have an amnesty period to hand them in now before the law is amended but if they fail to do so then they will to face stiffer penalties.
“We are going to give a period for all those persons with illegal weapons to deposit those weapons, after which the law will be amended to give you the greatest penalty,” stated the President.
Additionally, Ali said that his government will launch a very confidential programme for person who own illegal guns and are associated with criminal activity to change their lives.
He stated, “I have a message for you, too. Very soon, we will launch a programme, a very confidential programme to bring you in. Once you want to change your life. We want a discussion with you. We want to talk to you, to give you an alternative pathway to earning an income and living a decent life”.
The President reminded the public that “a life of crime is short-lived” before iterating that his Government wants to work with delinquents in order to give them a better in life.
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