By Sue-Ann Wayow
AFTER public queries about the distribution of firearms in Trinidad and Tobago, a complete and thorough audit of the firearms user’s licensing regime will take place.
This was announced by Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds at a press conference on Tuesday.
Hinds who gave a background of the issue said a complete audit of the legally distributed firearms in the country would give the government a better understanding of the weaponry possessed by the population.
He also emphasised, “The question of illegal firearms is no less important…That is a major problem.”
Hinds said, “The firearms registry is now virtually closed and it is not able to carry on the business of serving the public as it should for that reason and the intention is to get it going again because it has a role to play.
“In the meantime, a snapshot is necessary to see exactly where we are. How many licensed firearms are out there, how many variations who has them for what reason and for what purposes. How much ammunition. These are matters that will be revealed in the audit.”
Hind said the audit team that is yet to be named will comprise six persons.
“The National Security Council, the national community, and the police service will have clean and clear ideas as to where we are in respect to those,” the minister said.
Hinds also related an incident of a man who was attacked by perpetrators with an axe and survived getting a count on the arm. Hinds said they were armed with a gun, he would have been dead.
The issuance of firearms being given to citizens was raised under former Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith’s tenure with Griffith defending his decisions to grant one person more than one firearm given that different firearms had different specifications and usages.
Deputy Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob and Commissioner of Prisons Dennis Pulchan also attended the conference.
