‘Leave your firearms at home’
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan

– Ramjattan says licensed firearm holders should respect businesses, offices with no-weapons policy

HOLDERS of firearms licences are being advised that if they are going to offices and agencies which prohibit them from entering those premises with their weapons, they should either lodge same at the nearest police station, leave them home or take other measures to have the weapons secured.

This is coming from the Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, who in an invited comment stated that licensed firearm holders are advised to exercise proper care and supervision of their weapons.

This publication asked the minister if he believes that places with rules prohibiting firearms on the premises should have strong boxes for the safe keeping of the weapons, which can be lodged and later retrieved. However, the minister completely dispelled the notion of having strong boxes at agencies and offices that have a no-firearm policy.
“Well no, because that will necessarily make it very difficult for those places now to have an extra guard and personnel and all of that. If you want the firearm, you have to keep the firearm safe and that means that if there are places that you go to that don’t want you with firearms, walk with someone who is going to keep it in the meantime or some such thing; you have to work out something or keep it safe,” the minister said.

He made reference to the courts in Georgetown and suggested that persons who are entering the court compounds should lodge their weapons at the Brickdam Police Station.
“Licensed firearm holders have to exercise proper judgment, don’t walk on that day with your firearms, because if the place got its rules, well sorry, you can’t enter,” he said.
There are instances where licensed firearm holders would walk with their weapons when among other things, they are expected to transact large cash transactions or other important business.

Just earlier this week, a firearm holder had his weapon and money stolen from his vehicle after it was parked outside a city premises, while he sought to transact other business in an office which has a no-firearm policy.

SHOULD BE REVIEWED

One businessman told the Guyana Chronicle that he believes the system should be reviewed, as it only lends to arming persons with criminal intentions and give them the upper hand against law enforcement and or other licensed firearm holders in the event of confrontations.

Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud during his address

On the subject of leaving one’s weapon with someone else for safe-keeping, that also poses another problem, according to the businessman, who pointed out that if that person is not licensed to carry a weapon or that specific calibre of weapon, he or she automatically becomes an unlicensed firearm holder. When this happens, the owner of the firearm would have commited a breach of the conditions under which the weapon was issued.
Another individual who carries firearms, noted that in cases such as what is being suggested by the minister, if that weapon goes missing while it is being held for “safe- keeping” by another person, if that person loses that weapon or if it is taken from him or her by someone else, the licensed firearm holder stands the risk of never being issued with another weapon within his or her lifetime.

PROPER PLANNING

Asked to weigh in on the issue also was Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud. The Top Cop suggested that persons who are holders of licensed firearms ought to be able to properly plan their activities and in so doing, also plan for the firearm and its safe-keeping. He supports businesses and entities who have a no-firearm policy in place.

“I don’t want to be involved in any double standards, we have been encouraging businesses to take security precautions in the operation of their businesses and if they feel it is necessary to have a no-firearm policy, why not?” Seelall Persaud firmly noted.
According to him, while some business transactions and operations are sometimes spur of the moment, which requires one to go to a specific office or agency, in many other cases, these engagements are planned.

As such, licensed firearm holders need to be adequately prepared to carry out their business, while at the same time ensuring that they safeguard their weapons and adhere to policies of the respective offices. He also urged businesses to adopt an approach whereby they alert persons that their premises are no-firearm zones, so that those heading to those offices can be adequately prepared.

“The licensed firearm holders need to be in the know. The businesses have an obligation to inform prior to so that the holder knows that also. It is always unsafe to leave your firearms in your vehicles, we have so many vehicles left alone with valuables and even without valuables where there is a perception that there are valuables and they have gotten broken into,” Persaud explained.

The commissioner said that there are obligations on the part of both parties when dealing with the issues of firearms being allowed into buildings or not.
He said that firearm holders also have an obligation to make prior checks to find out if they can go into a particular premises with firearms. Persaud like Minister Ramjattan, suggested the use of police stations to secure firearms when one encounters a facility where they cannot enter with their weapons.

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