Higher fees for a number of firearms licences were yesterday approved by the National Assembly despite concerns by the opposition PPP/C that poor farmers will be affected and the smuggling of weapons will rise.
PPP/C MP Clement Rohee charged that an increase in the cost of firearm licences could see a rise in the number of illegal firearms. His objections, however, were not sufficient to stop the passage of the Firearms Amendment Bill 2016 by the government, which will see an increase in the licence fees for three categories of firearm holders as well as dealers in firearms from May 1, 2016.
Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, in moving the second reading of the bill, explained that the amendments will alter section (19) 1 of the principal act so that paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) will see increases as follows:
In respect of each rifle or gun, other than that referred to in paragraph (c) or combined rifle and shot gun the licence which was $5,000 will be $40,000.
In respect of a pistol or revolver, fees will move from $5,000 will be $25,000.
In respect of a shotgun, fees which were $2,000 will now be $5,000.
Also included was an amendment to section 24 (2) so that dealer’s licence, which was $15,000, will now cost $150,000.
Defending the move, Ramjattan said that the granting of licence is a three-tiered process, which requires resources. The increases, he said, are intended to recoup some of the expenses of the process. He maintained that the increases are not “formidable” enough to cause a big problem for licensed firearm holders and applicants as they, especially in the categories of rifles, pistols and revolvers are required to be persons who deal with a lot of money.
Shotgun holders, who are generally farmers and hunters, have only been asked to pay an increase from $2,000 to $5,000, which is, according to the minister, not such an “exorbitant increase.”
The opposition Members of Parliament were, however, not impressed with Ramjattan’s rationale.
PPP/C MP Dharamkumar Seeraj accused the government of being insensitive to the vulnerable ordinary people.
According to Seeraj, persons seeking firearm licences don’t do so to protect large sums of money but to protect their income. He also questioned the timing of the increases, which come at a “period of time when farmers are going through a tough time.”
Five thousand dollars, he charged, “can spell the difference between eating today or going to bed hungry.”
Consequently, he pleaded with the government to reconsider the proposed increases or consider the amendment proposed by the opposition.
The PPP/C’s amendment would’ve seen the word “farmers” added to section 19(5), which affords Amerindians an exemption from paying the licensing fee. This amendment was rejected by the government.
Supporting Seeraj, Rohee, who is a former Minister of Home Affairs, labelled the increases as a “fund raising exercise” and asked if it was aimed at slowing down or speeding up the processing of applications. According to Rohee, the government should not be targeting the legal holders of a firearm.
“The emphasis should be on illegal firearms not legal firearms. We heard that illegal firearms are entering this country. We heard that firearms are pouring into the country across the border. It seems to me that the attention should be focused on addressing that problem rather than taxing those that are legally held by citizens,” Rohee said.
He also charged that the increase in the licence fee will see the dealers passing the additional cost to the purchaser. The cost of the firearm will be automatically increased. This, in addition to the 100% duty and increase in the firearm licence fee, will see higher circulation of illegal firearms in the country as persons attempt to avoid exorbitant costs, he warned.
Also revealed by Ramjattan was the fact that there are presently 4,500 licensed pistols holders, 3,000 holders of shotgun licences and 347 holders of rifle licences, which gives an approximate total of nearly 8,000 legal firearm holders in these categories, and no more than five licensed dealers.
