Georgetown: President David Granger’s says it’s his personal view that weapons should only be used by law enforcement authorities. The APNU+AFC government is aiming to have less guns on the streets by limiting the issuance of firearm licenses to private citizens.
The President, speaking during the recording of his weekly programe, The Public Interest, revealed that there are legitimate firearm license holders in Guyana who rent their weapons to criminals. As such, the Head of State explained that he is working in collaboration with Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan to reduce the number of gun licenses issued.
“So we would like to see fewer weapons in the hands of private citizens; it is my personal view that weapons should be used by law enforcement agencies – the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force.”
According to the President, “We will try to detect people coming into the country will illegal firearms so there is a plethora of measures which will be implemented and our whole policy is aimed at getting guns off the streets and leaving guns in the hands of the police and the army.”
Meanwhile, President Granger explained that Guyana’s biggest problem has to do with the 1100km border shared with Brazil, which is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of small arms.
He revealed that many of the illegal weapons in Guyana are traced to Brazil. “So we will in the fullness of time reduce the issuance of legal firearms and by enforcing stricter border control through aerial surveillance, through mounted police and eventually through drones.”
According to the Head of State, government is also establishing a core of wardens who will have law enforcement powers. He said they will be operating in the gold mining and timber producing areas.
“They will also be operating in the tourism sector to provide protection and they will help us to detect people who have illegal firearms and bring those people to justice,” the President said.
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