Dear Editor,
I write in relation to a self-imposed mandate that is arbitrarily being applied by various government and other agencies, including GPL, GRA, GT&T, NIS, etc. I refer to the refusal to permit licensed firearm holders entry into these entities. It is an established fact that stringent criteria must be satisfied before a firearm licence is granted, whereupon, the licensee is required always to be in possession of his/her firearm and licence except when in the courts or in the offices of senior government functionaries. No condition is stipulated on the licence hence, no authority is endorsed to supersede the conditions of the said licence and to deny a licensed firearm holder entry with his/her firearm. To do so is a constitutional infringement.
A simple solution would be for a person to produce his/her firearm licence when requested to do so before being permitted entry to any agency with such authority. This would be similar to a police rank requesting that that driver of a vehicle produce his/her driver’s licence, which would be a legal directive. However, it would be a legal impropriety for a driver to be informed that his/her licence is not authorized for use in specific parts of the country. Entities with restrictions for entry with a firearm should employ a security based system where a licensed firearm holder can have his/her firearm lodged at the point of entry and retrieved at the point of exit, as is being done at the Princess Hotel.
The commercial banks where financial transactions are paramount do not implement this insensitive rule. Licensed firearm holders are now faced with the risk of having to leave their firearms at home or in their vehicles when it is necessary to conduct business in the agencies referred to. I have been advised by a brilliant legal exponent to challenge this ill-conceived practice in the courts of law, as it would be unable to withstand legal scrutiny.
Which bandit with felonious intentions would subject him/herself to a physical examination for a firearm? How many robberies, attempted robberies or gun-related crimes have been thwarted by this time-wasting imposition? I have had the misfortune of being disrespected by security guards where this exercise can be quite demeaning. Further, the negative attitude in the performance of this duty is at times reflected in the lax display by some security personnel who on occasion succumb to distractions, including gossiping and the use of cellphones.
I trust that the contents of this missive will inspire appropriate action, and that my suggestion in para two will be considered for urgent implementation.
Yours faithfully,
Maurice Rajkumar
