Only law enforcement and military officials should possess firearms says President of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations (CTUSAB) Ryan Phillips.
He said until the gun violence spike is reduced no new firearm licenses should be issued.
“Possession of guns should be restricted to the police and military agencies only. This may be unpopular, but it is a measure worth considering as a first step to bring a halt to the ready access to guns.
“It will call for political will, but this can be achieved, provided that the general public is prepared to support those politicians who pledge to make that action a priority. While the exact data is not available, it is generally felt that less than ten per cent of all Barbadians own legal firearms,” Phillips said.
He made those statements on today during a press conference at the Barbados Union of Teachers headquarters at Merry Hill, Welches Road St Michael.
The press conference was also held to address several matters including the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, issues affecting nurses, and other civil servants and other industrial relations matters.
While expressing concern about licensed firearms, Phillips and CTUSAB’s general secretary Dennis de Peiza also expressed concern about illegal weapons.
Although checks are carried out at the ports of entry, Phillips had questions about how the weapons still made their way to shore.
“CTUSAB has made the contention that guns are not manufactured in Barbados, so it left to ascertain the sources by which guns make their entry into the island. There is the knowledge that both security and surveillance systems at the Bridgetown Port and the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) have been constantly upgraded.
“Yet questions are continually raised about the entry of illegal firearms into Barbados. As a small island with several miles accessible to private seagoing vehicles, an increase in private yachts entering the seaports, the un-stuffing of containers away from surveillance areas, and the construction of guns with high concentration on plastic; have made detection and policing challenging exercises.
“However, what is a point of concern would be the anecdotal information which points to high levels of corruption and the presence of syndicates responsible for the movement of both drugs and guns. There is a hushed secret that people deemed as “untouchables “are the chief perpetrators of these crimes against humanity,” Phillips said.
