UNDER the European Union’s Arms Trade Treaty Outreach Project (EU ATT-OP 11), high-level officials within the joint services are participating in a two-day forum aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity in the management and enforcement of international arms transfers.

The forum is being facilitated by the Expertise France and the German Federal Office of Economics and Export (BAFA) in keeping with a mutual agreement between the Ministry of Public Security and the European Union Council Working Group on Conventional Weapons.
During the opening ceremony at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre on Wednesday, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, said the EU, through the outreach project, is helping Guyana to strengthen its technical capacities towards the full implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) which was signed on to in 2013 and ratified in 2014.

ATT is the only global, legally binding treaty governing arms transfers. It regulates the transfer (import, export, transit, trans-shipment and brokering) of most conventional arms, the ammunition or munitions they fire, their parts and components, and prevents their diversion to unauthorised end users.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, gun violence remains a major cause for concern, Minister Ramjattan said, while pointing out that a large percentage of the murders are committed with the use of guns, often times illegally acquired. “In the Caribbean, the homicide rate in Jamaica is about 56 per 100,000 per year, and we have other countries, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 32 per 100,000. Guyana it is about 14 [or] 15, and one of the lowest is Barbados with 11 [murders per 100,000] but it is 11 and 15 too many and a majority of these are gun-related and generally, it was an unauthorised end user, that had that gun,” the security minister explained. He said the forum, therefore, is a timely one.

While Guyana has ratified the ATT, like many other states, implementation remains a challenge in areas such as national legislation, regulations, procedures and national control list. However, since 2013, a number of activities and funding have been made available to help states to implement the ATT, and in the case of Guyana, assistance is being garnered through the EU ATT Outreach Project.

During the programme, the high-level security personnel are exploring the possibility of linking the ATT, the CARICOM model law, the national Firearms Act and the Customs Act 82:01. Additionally, approaches to building control lists of conventional weapons are being discussed even as the EU shares examples of Information Technology support tools for managing the control of arms transfers. Best practices of arms transfer controls enforcement are also being considered.

“At this point, it must be noted that Guyana is not an exporter of arms but an importer. There exists also a comprehensive system for the granting of individual firearm licence, security firms licences, dealership licences and approvals for the importation of arms for domestic security and border protection. This system, however, is being stretched and strained,” Minister Ramjattan told those present. He was keen on noting that here in Guyana, the governance structure for the control of arms is not managed by a single government office but through an integrated system by several ministries and agencies. These ministries and agencies include: the Ministry of Public Security, Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Business, Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Revenue Authority, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Director of Public Prosecutions and the Guyana National Rifle Association. Minister Ramjattan said with all hands on deck, he is optimistic that Guyana will be able to make progress in the implementation of the ATT.
“It is my hope and I am certain that the knowledge shared here today will be well received and will better advance Guyana’s position in fully implementing the ATT in consolidating our national legal framework on arms control and the CARICOM Model Law – ‘Second Draft Bill for the Arms Trade Treaty,’” he said.

The EU Delegation Programme Manager, Federico Suarez; and EU Export Control Programme for Arms, Expert Clef, Dr. Sylvain Paile, were among the EU officials present. In delivering remarks on behalf of the EU Ambassador, Suarez said the EU is pleased to assist Guyana in the full implementation of the ATT with the employ of best practices.