Dear Editor,
The recent mass shootings in the United States have once again brought to the fore the issue of hate crimes which are blamed on xenophobic tendencies fuelled by political rhetoric. It also raises questions regarding the need for greater background checks on those who are licensed firearm holders. The prevailing view is that the issuance of firearms is too liberal which is partly responsible for gun-related violence and in some cases mass killings and injuries to many who just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
In Guyana guns end up in the hands of criminals which are then used to commit acts of robberies and other criminal activities. The frequency with which shootings take place even among the civilian population is also worrying and calls into question the manner in which guns are given out by the relevant authorities. There is a strong perception that firearms are given out to individuals on an ad hoc manner while persons from the business community and others much more deserving are given a royal push around in their quest to obtain gun licences. One consequence of such an approach is the tendency for persons to secure weapons through illegal and corrupt means.
It is perhaps time for the granting of gun licences to be removed from the Public Security Ministry and placed in the hands of a Special Committee drawn from civil society, the business community and other reputable individuals. This Committee, after careful examination of the merits or demerits of applicants, could then recommend to the Guyana Revenue Authority the issuance of such licences. This hopefully could remove perceptions of bias and favouritism in the allocation of firearm licences.
This is somewhat of a digression from a much more fundamental point which is the number of innocent lives that are being lost by way of gun-related violence triggered by guns in the wrong hands and by irresponsible and incendiary rhetoric.
Yours faithfully,
Hydar Ally
