The dicey subject of firearms was, once again, on the front burner of a heated public debate last week following the involvement of a gun in the suspected murder/suicide of a couple in their early 30s at Belle West, Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara.
Like all tragedies of this nature, it was immediately followed by much speculation. More so since in this instance, the young woman, Asasha Ramzan, a lawyer of three years standing, was a State Counsel in the Litigation Department of the Attorney General’s Chambers. Said to have been involved in several local outreach programmes, her career appeared to be on the rise. Beyond the media coverage, social media of course was abuzz with activity.
This newspaper ran three reports on this sad occurrence. The first was about the discovery of the two bodies. The second was followed by a detailed story in which the identities of the man and the woman were confirmed, along with the circumstances of the discovery. Finally, there was the report on confirmation by the Guyana Police Force that the man, Peter Charles, a barber, who apparently murdered the attorney-at-law before turning the gun on himself, was a licenced firearm holder.
These sorrowful affairs can spur discussions in several directions simultaneously, as demonstrated by the large number of online comments the reports generated on femicide, the abuse of women, arranged marriages, social disparities and insecurities in relationships, and the issuing of firearm licences. While not displacing femicide, which is a matter of escalating national worry that appears to be an almost weekly news item, the issuing of firearm licences needs closer examination.
On 14th October, in a release from the Cari-com Secretariat, Jamaica’s Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang stated that the trafficking of firearms “may be the greatest threat to Caribbean countries”. Speaking at the conclusion of the Caricom Ministerial Council for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE) meeting in Trelawny, Jamaica, Dr Chang, the meeting’s chairman, adverted to the wider use of firearms in homicides, noting that “none of our countries manufacture firearms and yet the ill effects of their proliferation and the contribution to gang violence and transnational criminal activities permeate our respective territories and are responsible for more than 70 percent of homicides in Caricom”.
“The fact that we were able to focus especially on the firearms trafficking at this meeting was of significant value and we can say we have entered a new era of cooperation in seeking to deal with a common threat to the Caribbean,” Dr Chang added.
Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe, responding to this column’s “Firearms” (SN October 12th, 2022) in a Letter to the Editor revealed some rather disturbing statistics. Slowe stated, “The World Population Review 2022 gave a breakdown of firearms owned by civilians worldwide. It estimated the total number of firearms owned by civilians in Guyana to be 122,000, this equates to 15.80 per 100,000 persons. (The review takes into consideration that there are individuals who own multiple firearms). This number is the highest in the English-speaking Caribbean. That is a staggering revelation! It should be of interest to note that according to the same report, Jamaica has the next highest per capita at 8.80 per 100,000 persons and Dominica 6.20 per 100,000 persons, among Caribbean countries.”
Slowe summed up his letter by citing the lyrics of the 1995 mega-hit dance song from Barbados’ Spice and Company, “The Guns (Too Many Guns)”, which now haunts us on a regular basis, serving as a bitter message about the surging number of firearms in circulation – both legal and illegal – and the accompanying increase in violent crimes and murders. Gun ownership has become a status symbol in Guyanese society today, and it is not uncommon for young ‘entrepreneurs’ to whip out their toys for public brandishing.
On Thursday, 20th October, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn, whilst making a guest appearance on the web programme Guyana Dia-logue, announced that the government was planning to reform the process for the issuance of gun licences, which could lead to changes in the laws, including the criteria for eligibility.
“We are going to be changing the laws, changing the requirements, insisting on training because many people still when they get a gun think it’s something to show off with, to pull out to fire shots in the air, to threaten people and where some people who perhaps don’t have the need for a gun are so caught up by the idea that they must have a firearm,” Benn stated. He added that the reforms would be undertaken to ensure persons who are granted firearm licences use the weapons “properly” and do not become threats to society. The minister noted that as a result of the review some gun licences could be revoked.
A recurring theme in the comments on the cited articles and references is the apparent disconnect between the criteria currently in place here for parties interested in acquiring a gun licence and the application process with the actual issuance of the licence. There seems to be a commonly held belief by previous holders of gun licences, who voluntarily surrendered them, applicants with prior gun training and others who on the surface appear to qualify for gun licences, that the criteria and the application have nothing to do with the actual issuance of the licence.
In the current situation, the buck stops with the Minister of Home Affairs, who makes the final recommendation on whether the applicant gets the gun licence. The previous administration, the APNU+AFC Coalition, was obviously happy with this arrangement since it made no effort to amend the system which is ripe for blatant political abuse.
According to retired Asst Commissioner Slowe, “There are allegations that there is a flourishing illegal gun licensing enterprise in Guyana. The allegation is that the starting price is one million Guyana dollars depending on the type and calibre of firearm requested.” Whether this cottage industry exists or not – it is horrifying if it does – successful applicants for legal licences appear to be those with the correct political allegiance.
It is obvious that the current system is heavily stacked in favour of one set of applicants and needs urgent attention. When one considers the suspected murder/suicide referred to above, the question that arises is what made Mr Charles, a barber, eligible for a firearm licence. He clearly used his gun improperly. Might he have been divested of it under the proposed reform? We will never know. One also hopes that the proposed reform will include psychological evaluations. The onus is now on the government to push through with revamping the way gun licences are issued. Though too late for Ms Ramzan and Mr Charles, it will clearly save other lives.
