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THE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is currently at the United Nations Headquarters pressing for an Arms Trade Treaty, but the recent negative vote in the National Assembly by the combined political opposition has weakened Guyana’s “moral authority to speak on the issue”. This is according to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who yesterday, in an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, said that the fact that Guyana has been lobbying for the Arms Trade Treaty and has managed to gain significant support on the issue makes the rationale behind the opposition’s negative vote even more questionable.
“It’s a serious blow to the message we have been repeating in different circles, especially at the UN”.
Rodrigues-Birkett reminded of the importance of an Arms Trade Treaty in place, and said that had the Parliament criminalised the trafficking of arms and gun parts, “it would have added to our voice and give us more moral authority to speak on the issue”.
The Foreign Affairs Minister told the Guyana Chronicle that the trade of small arms and light weapons must be included in an Arms Trade Treaty.
The existing conventions in place, according to Rodrigues-Birkett, “don’t go far enough”.
She says that Guyana, along with CARICOM, is pushing for a treaty that would make the transparency and conditions of the “trade more air-tight”.
The minister also spoke of the fact that Guyana is geographically located close to producers of illicit drugs, as well as arms producers, and reminded of the relationship shared between firearms and drugs.
The 10 day conference currently under way in New York follows on the recent Inter-sessional Meeting of Heads of Government in Haiti last month, where crime and security had been underscored.
The CARICOM heads had expressed the hope that “the international community adopts tangible and effective measures to regulate the trade in conventional weapons” at this UN Conference.
At the Haiti meeting, the Heads of Government expressed grave concern over the unregulated trade in conventional weapons, including small arms and light weapons and their ammunition, “which has exacted an unbearable toll on the security and the well-being of our citizenry, and the development of our States”.
On Thursday last, the Parliamentary Opposition defeated the Minister of Home Affair’s bid to pilot amendments to Guyana’s gun laws.
Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, had said that the move was meant to send a message to the Executive.
“It’s a serious blow to the message we have been repeating in different circles, especially at the UN”.
Rodrigues-Birkett reminded of the importance of an Arms Trade Treaty in place, and said that had the Parliament criminalised the trafficking of arms and gun parts, “it would have added to our voice and give us more moral authority to speak on the issue”.
The Foreign Affairs Minister told the Guyana Chronicle that the trade of small arms and light weapons must be included in an Arms Trade Treaty.
The existing conventions in place, according to Rodrigues-Birkett, “don’t go far enough”.
She says that Guyana, along with CARICOM, is pushing for a treaty that would make the transparency and conditions of the “trade more air-tight”.
The minister also spoke of the fact that Guyana is geographically located close to producers of illicit drugs, as well as arms producers, and reminded of the relationship shared between firearms and drugs.
The 10 day conference currently under way in New York follows on the recent Inter-sessional Meeting of Heads of Government in Haiti last month, where crime and security had been underscored.
The CARICOM heads had expressed the hope that “the international community adopts tangible and effective measures to regulate the trade in conventional weapons” at this UN Conference.
At the Haiti meeting, the Heads of Government expressed grave concern over the unregulated trade in conventional weapons, including small arms and light weapons and their ammunition, “which has exacted an unbearable toll on the security and the well-being of our citizenry, and the development of our States”.
On Thursday last, the Parliamentary Opposition defeated the Minister of Home Affair’s bid to pilot amendments to Guyana’s gun laws.
Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, had said that the move was meant to send a message to the Executive.
