Antigua considers stricter penalties for illegal firearm possession
The government of Antigua and Barbuda is contemplating imposing more severe penalties for possessing unlicensed firearms following the recent revelation that the police seized 35 unlawful firearms during their stop-and-search operations.
In a meeting convened with Commissioner of Police Atlee Rodney and six high-ranking officials from the Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force, along with the Chief of Defense Staff, the Cabinet discussed the growing concern surrounding the proliferation of illegal firearms.
Lionel Hurst, Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister’s Office, expressed the government's concern that some business owners have resorted to acquiring firearms illegally due to the perceived complexity of obtaining them through legal channels.
Hurst highlighted that such a mindset among business owners is flawed, stating, “There may be some erroneous thinking in the belief of business owners that merely having a firearm will lead to greater safety. There is no evidence of that. What we do know is that the firearms are usually used by criminals and very frequently, in the case of Antigua and Barbuda, against other persons who are criminals.”
He further emphasized that increasing the number of gun licenses issued would likely make more firearms accessible to criminals through theft.
To address these concerns, Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin will collaborate with legal experts and law enforcement agencies to explore ways of strengthening existing firearm legislation.
Hurst confirmed that the government intends to seek input from experts well-versed in sentencing guidelines to facilitate the potential amendment of current laws.
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