Over the past five years, more than 10,000 firearm licences have been approved by the administration, Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond, revealed during an interview on the Starting Point Podcast.
This revelation comes at a time when more than 30,000 applications for firearm licences have been made. Minister Walrond noted that while the government is now fleshing out alternatives to arming the population, there has been no deliberate decision to halt the issuance of gun licences.
She explained that the Firearms Licensing Approval Board had to be renewed, and that process was recently completed.
“For the past five years, there have been over 10,000 gun licenses given out from the records that I’ve been able to look at,” Walrond added.
She further noted, “It just seems inconceivable. Do you want to issue 30,000 gun licences to people?” the minister questioned.
With such a large number of applications, the security minister said the government will have to examine why so many persons feel the need to carry firearms. To this end, she pointed out that serious crimes, particularly robberies involving firearms, have been on the decline.
“So, the need to walk with a firearm every day, all day to protect yourself may not necessarily hold any muster anymore, as serious crime goes down and we’re targeting hot spots, with more police presence and those kinds of things,” she added.
Minister Walrond further stated that from a policy perspective, the government will also explore the introduction of non-lethal weapons, noting that such weapons could provide an alternative for safety and security.
As it relates to the issue of illegal firearms, the minister said this remains a challenge for the Guyana Police Force (GPF) but assured citizens that efforts will be ramped up to address it. She disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, has assured her that the force will redouble efforts to take illegal firearms off the streets.
Further, when asked whether the government will consider the return of the gun amnesty programme, Minister Walrond stated, “It’s something that is definitely not off the table. I will have to examine what, if any, might be the reluctance to do that again, but it absolutely should not be off the table.”
She acknowledged that while in the past people would simply drive by a police station and throw a weapon into the compound, the presence of CCTV cameras across the country may now deter individuals from doing so, out of fear of being identified.
“I could already start to see why there might be the hesitancy with persons buying into the programme…but some sort of amnesty, should always be considered, should always be in play…a safe place, for someone who have an illegal firearm, to say, I just want to drop this off,” the minister said, adding that discussions on bringing back the gun amnesty will be needed.