The Composition of the Firearm and Ammunition Control Board

Earlier this month, we told you that Cabinet has approved the establishment of a Firearm and Ammunition Control Board. The announcement came following public scrutiny over the issuance of gun and ammunition license to known criminals. This morning, Kareem Musa, the Minister of Home Affairs, provided details on the composition of that board. Musa made an appearance on Open Your Eyes where he revealed that the board will be comprised of three individuals.

Kareem Musa

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“We found it necessary to move that up and to create a system similarly to what exist in Jamaica of a board and that board will now be comprised of a Magistrate on a rotational basis, of a police officer who is the head of dangerous goods within the police department and of our CEO at the ministry, whoever that CEO might be at any given time. Currently it is Mr. Arthurs. In the future it might be a different CEO, and so this will be the composition of this board that will now accept, review gun application and determine whether or not they should be issued. The person sitting on the board in the form of head of dangerous goods, he is the individual who will liaise with special branch on all the vetting that is done. There was some fraudulent vetting coming out. Now special branch is denying any involvement in providing that fraudulent vetting. So, the head of dangerous goods that is going to be one of his responsibilities to ensure what we are getting out of special branch is legitimate. So, there are all these checks an balances being put in place. In addition to this board, we are also putting in place a requirement, cause I have no idea how it has never been done, but how is it that I can just give you a fire arm without you getting any training in the use of a firearm. So we have identified that as a crucial void in the current legislation. So, one of the requirements moving forward is that you will have to pass a certification course before it is you are issued with your license firearm.”