Former Police Commissioner Gary Griffith is applauding CARICOM's initiative to classify gun violence in public spaces as an act of terrorism.
Speaking at the closing media conference of the 48th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Barbados, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said leaders have agreed that indiscriminate public shootings, where perpetrators endanger everyone present, will now be treated as acts of terrorism.
Griffith believes it should go further, however, and says anyone found in possession of high-powered weapons capable of causing multiple fatalities at a time should be considered a terrorist.
“If you have the equipment, it means that you are now a terrorist, because that was your intention,” he argues.
“For example, if someone in this country has an automatic weapon that can kill 35 persons in three seconds, his intention is to commit serious acts of violence on citizens of this country. And that,” he says, “could be deemed an act of terrorism.”
He added: “This issue of illegal assault weapons is a ticking time bomb. It just takes one drive-by shooting at a bar or nightclub to target one individual, and dozens of persons are going to be killed.”
And Griffith is hoping that this declaration by CARICOM, and the Government, won’t be just lip service.
He says the requisite legislation should be amended and implemented as quickly as possible.
“When held with such weapons, persons should be incarcerated for life. Make it a capital offence,” the former top cop stated, noting that would be a step in the right direction to tip the Scales of Justice back in favour of law-abiding citizens.
“Make the amendment to have [terrorist designation] inclusive of anyone with an illegal automatic weapon,” he said, pointing out that such a capital offence will be non-bailable, and such persons won’t be back out on the streets to terrorise the citizens of this country.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rowley said he anticipates the legislation will be drafted in the coming months.