by Linda Straker
- Mitchell administration adopting a zero-tolerance approach to firearms in communities
- PM not a fan of private people holding firearms
- Disclosing illegal firearms confiscated breaches national security and safety
Police said that publicly disclosing the number of illegal firearms confiscated by law enforcement officers in the last 3 years would be a breach of national security and safety.
“I am directed to inform you that the issue of firearms and in particular, the question asked has safety and security concerns and unfortunately, the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) does not wish to disclose this information to the public,” was the response to a letter of inquiry which sought to find out the number of illegal firearms seized between 2020 and 2022.
Several questions were submitted to the Office of the Commissioner of Police via email in January after Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell disclosed that he was not a fan of private people holding firearms. The response was sent in March after 2 reminder emails.
Weeks before the Prime Minister made the announcement, there were several robbery incidents and Police confiscated several illegal firearms. They include the December 2022 charging of Shondell Fereria, 30 years old of La Borie, St George, for the offences of Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Ammunition, and Discharging a Firearm in a public place in connection with an incident that took place at Grand Anse, St George on 22 December 2022.
Christon Balboza, 27 years old, Special Reserve Police Officer, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, and Stephen Francis, 28 years old, Fisherman of Victoria, St Mark, were arrested and jointly charged for the offence of Robbery with Violence in connection with the 22 December Robbery at Grand Mal Gas Station. Francis was also charged with the offence of Assault with a Dangerous Instrument to wit, a gun.
Also in December 2022, Samuel Williams, 33 years old, Plumber of Woburn, St George, was arrested and charged with attempted Non-Capital Murder, Damage to Property, Possession of an Illegal Firearm, and Possession of Ammunition. On Tuesday, 1 November 2022, Nicholas Stephen John of Mt Egmont, St George, was arrested and charged with illegal possession of a .38 Colt Special Revolver and 7 rounds of ammunition.
Prime Minister and Minister for National Security Dickon Mitchell then said that Grenada is under threat from the illegal importation of guns and ammunition, and his administration will be adopting a zero-tolerance approach to having firearms in communities. “I want us to understand that our island(s) are under constant threat from the importation of small firearms in particular, they are coming in barrels, they are coming in containers,” he said, addressing questions in a town hall meeting in Carriacou.
The Office of the Commissioner also refused to disclose the number of private citizens approved to have a licenced firearm within the past 3 years, the number of Members of Parliament currently issued with a licenced firearm, the number of current cabinet members issued with a licenced firearm, and the number of private citizens issued with firearms licenced for hunting.
I just have to laugh at what our prime minister had to say about the methods use to bring in illegal firearms into Grenada.
Now I am not going to use the political argument to complain but that was rather poor in all areas.
If he knows where these illegal firearms are coming through please put extra manpower and equipments to stop it.
There are a few countries where firearms are readily available so any barrels or containers arriving from these countries should be stripped at the port.
As for firearms license for citizens who qualify that is a badly run devision from day one so we all know who will get and who won’t.