Dear Editor,
The issue of the number of firearms (guns), both legal and illegal, circulating in Guyana is a cause for great concern. I noted your recent editorial, which addressed aspects of the firearms problem in Guyana, especially as it relates to the acquisition of a firearm license. Editor, it is my view that the entire process has become more corrupted in recent years. The acquisition aspect is just a part of the overall problem, which includes the suitability of applicants to own a firearm and the appropriate training once the firearm has been acquired.
Many people in Guyana seek to acquire a firearm as a status symbol. 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 caliber of firearm requested. Maybe the persons who have reported that their applications cannot be found and other frustrating problems are victims of the illegal enterprise. It would appear that the process has become more corrupt since the amendment to the Firearms Act, which brought into effect the Firearm Licence Approval Board. This amendment changed the procedures for the granting of such license.
According to what was stated at the time, “The procedure will be that a person applying for a firearm licence will make such application to the Commander of the respective police division, who will process the application. Once that is completed it will then pass to the Com-missioner who will then forward it to the Firearm Licence Approval Board, who will in turn submit its recommendation to the Home Affairs’ Minister who will make his views known and then return it to the Commissioner for the administrative aspects to be instituted”.
Having examined the new procedure it appears that the process has become very political. The final decision as to who will be granted approval to own a firearm now rest with the Minister of Home Affairs. It is my view that that is a big part of the problem. It will be interesting to know the procedure that is employed to identify and appoint members of the Firearm Licence Approval Board, and whether there is currently such a Board in existence.
Guyana has far too many firearms (guns), both legal and illegal. The World Population Review 2022 gave a breakdown of firearms owned by civilians worldwide. It estimates that the total number of firearms owned by civilians in Guyana to be one hundred and twenty two thousand (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.
For some more context, Afghanis-tan has a rate of 12.50, Somalia 12.40, Ukraine 9.90, South Africa 9.70, and Brazil 8.30, per 100,000 persons. Editor, this clearly shows that a major issue in Guyana is the number of firearms and the entire process relating to the granting of the license. The musical group Spice & Company had a hit song entitle “Too Many Guns”. Part of the opening verse of the song says:
Too many guns in dis town,
Too many guns passing round,
Too many guns in dis town,
Too many guns passing round,
Is every day you open de paper,
All you read bout is murder,
Man, this ting is sad,
But de whole world going mad,
This one have a gun, that one have a gun,
Man they gon shoot each other for fun.
This aptly describes the current gun situation in Guyana.
Sincerely,
Paul Slowe CCH, DSM
Assistant Commissioner (Ret’d)
