Recent proposals by the Keith Rowley administration to amend the local Firearms Act, restricting the rights of individuals who are legally permitted to carry weapons for self-defence, are perplexing, to say the least, given the rising prevalence of gun crimes, perpetuated mainly by people with illegal firearms.
While the authorities may have valid reasons for seeking to limit the carrying of weapons in specific locations such as schools, courts, and especially bars—where impaired judgement due to alcohol consumption could potentially lead to bad decision-making—we cannot help but ask, where is the overwhelming evidence to support a direct link between the legal possession of weapons and this country’s rising murder rate?
In fact, why is this even an issue right now when illegal guns—not legal guns—are at the heart of this country’s crime problem, as evidenced of late by an increase in mass shootings?
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and his Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds owe this country a credible explanation, as more and more each day this Government seems out of touch with the desperate on-the-ground reality faced by ordinary citizens and incapable of delivering on promises of a workable and effective anti-crime plan.
The increase in mass shootings, with a higher number of casualties per incident, is undeniable and cannot be ignored.
Already this year, there have been double murders in Moruga, Port-of-Spain, Tunapuna, Glencoe, and Penal. Additionally, the country has witnessed triple murders in Maraval and Morvant, quadruple murders in Mayaro, Heights of Guanapo, and Cocorite, and a quintuple shooting incident in Harpe Place.
Tobago, which was once considered the safer of the two islands, has also been experiencing a decline in its safety status in recent years.
Just last week, a shooting incident in Speyside resulted in six individuals sustaining injuries.
While there have been a few recent notable cases where law enforcement successfully recovered multiple firearms, such as the seizure of 35 weapons, gun parts, and accessories in Santa Cruz last October, overall progress in combating illegal firearms has not been enough to inspire public confidence in the effectiveness of the police service.
Despite the discovery of a cache of ten guns, which included four high-powered AR-15s, at a Piarco courier company’s warehouse in February, law enforcement authorities have yet to apprehend any suspects.
The Government’s overall failure to address this dire illegal gun situation has done little to alleviate the concerns of the public, as brutal killings continue unabated with few successful convictions.
Today, senior government officials, including the National Security Minister, will meet with the United States Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, Todd Robinson and the US Department of Justice’s Associate Deputy Attorney General, Michael Ben’Ary to discuss strategies for combating the illegal trafficking of firearms and narcotics.
The visit by these two senior US officials will continue until Friday and will involve a tour of the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit to further examine the impact of illicit firearms trafficking in T&T.
It is imperative that our government representatives view this as an opportunity to solicit US support for a meaningful reduction in gun crimes, which can be achieved by ridding the streets of illegal guns as a priority, not going after the legitimate firearms holders who are simply trying to protect themselves and their families in an environment in which they are seriously exposed to the criminal element and unable to trust the assurances of the State.