Minister: Maybe it's time to consider gun buy-back scheme

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage said yesterday “maybe it is time” to consider a gun amnesty period or gun buy-back initiative in the Bahamas.

He made his comments during the budget debate in the House of Assembly yesterday.

According to Dr Nottage, more than 80 per cent of the murders in the country involved the use of illegal handguns. He said this statistic, along with an increase in armed robberies by 4 per cent, has prompted him to petition the Commissioner of Police and his officers to do more and to seek and determine how these “weapons of death” are entering the country.

He also said it is time for the government to act and one of the actions being considered is the introduction of a gun amnesty period.

“I ask the members of the Opposition would they agree, that maybe the time has come for us to have a firearm amnesty, one week, one month, three months, and ask for guns to be turned in without arresting people. There is an argument about whether amnesty will work, the question in every society is different, but what we want to know is and are they (the Opposition) prepared to support us with a firearm amnesty and maybe even gun buy back initiative. We are going to have to make some serious decisions very soon on whether or not we will support these sort of initiatives,” he said.

“We have to work together on this. The Minster of Foreign Affairs and I along with the Attorney General met with the Attorney General in the Unites States. We want them to help us stop these guns from coming here. They are coming through cruise ships, Bahamians bring them in wrecked cars, they come through Jamaica, the Jamaicans and the Haitians exchange marijuana for guns, they come on Haitian vessels and they come through our ports of entry.”

According to the latest statistics, from January 1 to June 18, the Royal Bahamas Police Force removed over 160 illegal guns and 4,609 rounds of ammunition from the streets.

Last year, a total of 480 guns and 6,516 rounds of ammunition were removed from the streets of the Bahamas.

Comments

Ddec says...

This is the problem when youth has no say in politics these ancient politicians are out of ideas. We have a crime problem. Fix the judicial system if u are serious. Make illegal gun possession carry a minimum of 20 years in prison. If u are in possession of high powered weapons such as AK 47 life in prison because ur intention is to kill and cause grievous harm!!!

Posted 19 June 2013, 11:09 a.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

Young people can learn alot from wise old men. Unfortunately at the present time there arent many wise old men in the political arena...just an abundance of old (and young) extraordinarily greedy men.

Posted 19 June 2013, 7:39 p.m. Suggest removal

The_Oracle says...

Should have had the Chinese build a prison instead of a stadium.
Prison accommodations for 20,000 inmates in proper conditions is the first move,
followed by a moratorium on bail, by Judicial policy or act.
Rack and stack 'em, put them to work.
NO EXCEPTIONS.

Posted 19 June 2013, 11:20 a.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

Posted 19 June 2013, 12:55 p.m.

atwr says...

Absolutely! I suggested that in a letter to the Commissioner a few months back....

We have to be doing multiple things simultaneously to make a difference on crime.

Posted 19 June 2013, 2:46 p.m. Suggest removal

bismark says...

Buy back?arrest their asses!!i must compensate you for the wrong you have already done?

Posted 19 June 2013, 3:04 p.m. Suggest removal

bismark says...

give those scum 10 years mandatory for the gun,five years for each round.

Posted 19 June 2013, 3:06 p.m. Suggest removal

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