Give ‘Sitting Duck’ Citizens FULs – Deyalsingh
By Prior Beharry
INDEPENDENT Senator Dr Varma Deyalsingh is calling on the Government to grant Firearm User’s Licenses (FUL) to citizens to protect themselves as home invasions are on the increase.
He made the call during debate on the 2022/2023 Budget in the Upper House on Thursday.
Dr Deyalsingh said,”A caring government would allow persons to get Firearm User’s Licenses to protect themselves.
“As daily reports say, we are sitting ducks.
“The Commissioner of Police mentioned that home invasions are increasing, so I’m saying give persons access with the proper checks and balances.”
During his Budget presentation, Finance Minister Colm Imbert announced a 100% increase in FUL fees to restrict citizens from acquiring weapons and ammunition.
Dr Deyalsingh also said that farmers and fisherfolk should be given FULs.
He said, “We have always been hearing of the problems of praedial larceny, the minister of agriculture mentioned it, but I’ve been hearing all the time about road access giving this, let them defend themselves. Fisherfolks are victims of piracy.”
Dr Deyalsingh referred to the 7,000 firearms that were destroyed at the Police Academy in St James where Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds was present.
He said, “Those guns could have been given to other CARICOM nations so they could defend themselves if they could not afford to buy ammunition for their army or their police service.”
In August 2021, the Firearms Unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service suspended operations due to an investigation concerning the approval of FULs. Operations resumed again in May 2022.
Dr Deyalsingh also called for the removal of VAT from steel, for tax rebates for security cameras and for citizens to dedicate one camera to the police to help them follow criminals.
He said, “I am saying give persons VAT off on steel, to build burglar-proof, allow YTEPP persons to give their service free of charge to put burglar-proofing in some people’s windows. We have to invent things where we keep people’s homes safe.”
Dr Deyalsingh also said that there should be no VAT on pepper spray which is yet to become a reality in Trinidad and Tobago.
