The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force has become aware of a statement in circulation via social media in reference to the issuance of firearm licenses. We wish to take this opportunity to clarify as the information, as articulated, is misleading.
Under Section 2A(C) of the Firearms (Amendment) Act No. 18 of 2022, the Minister with responsibility for National Security, with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers, is charged with the appointment of three individuals to serve on the newly legislated Firearms and Licensing Board, for a period of three (3) years. In addition to the recommendations approved by Cabinet, the Board will be constituted of individuals including the Commissioner of Police, who will serve as the Chairperson of the said committee and the Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of National Security. To date, the Board has not been convened, as the requirement of publishing its composition within the Gazette has not been met. Therefore, no firearm licenses have been issued by the Board. At present, this responsibility remains under the purview of the Commissioner of Police.
Under no circumstance has any firearm license been issued recklessly or without due process and consideration for the applicable laws, by the said office. The process of issuing a firearm license includes a rigorous vetting of each applicant and the merit of each applicant’s request. This is conducted by a group of specialists within law enforcement, in collaboration with multiple agencies across the island, as well as regional and international counterparts, where necessary. The Commissioner of Police will under no circumstance, compromise the integrity of the office, or that of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, by issuing licenses to individuals who have not satisfied the established standards. The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force takes these allegations circulated via social media seriously and wishes to dispel any aspersions they may cast on the organization and its processes.
Should a firearm license holder be found behaving recklessly, or in any manner which calls their fitness into question, their license will be suspended or revoked, as has been done in the past. For the year 2023, no firearm licenses have been revoked or suspended. There have been no recorded incidents of crime for the period, involving the use of a licensed firearm.
Photo: RSLPF
