PEOPLE in Trinidad and Tobago convicted of being in the possession of illegal firearms now face stiffer penalties including life imprisonment.

This after the Government with the support of the Opposition passed the Firearms Bill late Monday night.

This new legislation when promulgated will increase the penalties for firearms possession and if a per­son chalks up a third firearms of­fence he could spend the rest of his nat­ur­al life in jail.

The bill has also introduced the offences of traf­fick­ing in firearms and being in the possession of pro­hib­it­ed weapons.

Dur­ing de­bate Prime Min­is­ter Kei­th Row­ley slammed the contribution of UNC MP for Naparima Rodney Charles.

Rowley said Charles was trying to send the message that the legislation was aimed at the children of former slaves.