Anyone with the right connections and cash can buy or rent a gun in Guyana, to be used in way they choose. And, in fact, if the renter knows the gun is to be used to commit an armed robbery, he may demand a share of the booty as rental.

Access to illegal weapons across the country, according to several sources this newspaper spoke to during last week, is not very difficult.

This is perhaps the major reason why six years after five prisoners broke out of the Camp Street jail ushering in a crime wave never experienced here before Guyana is still in the throes of it. Gun crimes remain a major challenge, and with lax security at the country’s borders trafficking in firearms flourishes.

Police have reported that for last year, they confiscated over 130 illegal firearms, most of them pistols. A total of 119 illicit weapons were seized in 2006.

Deputy Crime Chief Seelall Persaud had told a media conference last year November that the weapons seized were found during house raids, roadblocks and other intelligence-led operations. However, Commissioner of Police (ag) Henry Greene said that despite the success in reining-in some of the illicit weapons there was still a problem with gun controls.

Of the over 1,000 robberies committed last year a significant portion was with the use of firearms and only last week several persons were murdered by the gun.

Gunrunners

Persons who have knowledge of the illicit arms trade on the streets of Guyana admitted that it was not very difficult to acquire an illegal firearm, once one had the money. One man said he knew of a dealer who traded in small arms as well as rifles. This man said the dealer works at a government department and this allowed him to escape the scrutiny of law enforcement officers. The man frequently visits neighbouring Suri-name where he would acquire the weapons and board a vessel at Corentyne using one of the many illegal crossing points to get back to Guyana.

“This man who I am telling you about does sell all kinds of wea-pons,” our source said, adding that he traded in M-70 rifles and to a lesser extent AK-47 rifles.

Noting that the dealer did not sell guns to just anyone, the source said a buyer would have to get the support or recommendation of someone who knew the dealer. “He would not sell anyone off the streets because you don’t know who is who