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Govt. to explore non-lethal options to firearms – Jagdeo
…as over 30k gun licence applications await approval
(Kaieteur News) – The Government of Guyana (GoG) will be examining non-lethal avenues for persons to protect themselves with the aim of reducing the number of gun licences being issued.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
This is according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo who told reporters on Thursday that there are over 30,000-gun licence applications backed up.
“Now just imagine if you have to give out 50,000-gun licences in Guyana, what could happen? And often the weapons end up in the hands of criminals because they come into our home and they take the weapons, etc.,” he stressed.
In order to remedy this situation, the government is exploring other ways in which people can protect themselves. He said once those non-lethal methods have been identified, the government will sparingly issue gun licences.
Further, the vice president noted that the system would have to be transparent to ensure persons applying for gun licences do not feel the need to bribe officials to be issued with a firearm licence or a weapon upgrade.
“I know it bothers a lot of people and a lot of people complain too because they’ve been waiting for many, many years. So, we have to find a way of addressing this and the president is looking into it personally. He’s looking into this matter to devise a system that would allow us to be responsive to people but without putting 50,000 guns in the hands of people. So those are the kinds of things I’m talking about,” the vice president explained.
In light of the position, Jagdeo said there needs to be a national conversation on the way forward relative to the employment of non-lethal forms of protection.
“But if we do that and then the system is in place…, then you have a smoothly functioning system. Now everybody finding out (how) they can get a weapon, somebody bribe someone, and get a weapon or they can… they just you know they don’t go through a proper screening,” he added.
Jagdeo declared, “It has to be dealt with once and for all and society has to deal with it, our society, not just a government.”
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