Security ministry clearing gun review backlog
The Robert Montague-led Ministry of National Security is currently taking steps to clear the backlog of cases now before the ministry for gun users to reclaim weapons that have been confiscated. Additionally, it is seeking to clear the pile up of review cases for individuals whose applications for firearms licences have been denied.
Minister Montague explained that when an individual applies to the Firearms Licensing Authority (FLA), it goes through a vetting process from which a decision is taken to grant that individual a licence or not.
“If after the vetting process is complete an individual is successful, then that person is able to obtain a firearm. If the FLA turns down an application, that application goes automatically to a review board which assesses the application and then passes it on to the minister for a final decision.
“In cases where the police takes away an individual’s firearm, or if a matter involving an individual’s firearm is before the court, and the court rules that that individual is to get back his/her firearm, the matter still has go before the review board and then to the minister,” Montague informed the Jamaica Observer.
Montague stated that when he took office in March, there were hundreds of these cases dating back to 2012, literally in a dormant state at the ministry.
“The ministry simply did not have the capacity to deal with this large number of reviews and you must understand it is like a new application for a firearm. We had to act to deal with this backlog and we have done so,” he said.
To that end, the ministry has employed an attorney-at-law and 10 university-trained workers to begin processing the files so that they can at least begin to move up the authorisation chain.
“The lawyer and the team review the files as per the law, after which they go to the director of protective services and once the director finalises the files they then come to me as the minister,” Montague said.
The national security minister made it clear that his ministry was making every attempt for individuals who have been deemed fit and proper to be issued a licensed firearm without the impediment of bureaucracy while still going through all the vetting processes necessary.
“My task is to ensure that individuals who qualify for a licensed firearm, after all the necessary checks and balances are done, are able to [obtain same]. My task also is to ensure that in cases where the courts have made a decision for a return of a firearm to an individual, that this is achieved with haste.
“We believe that this process will be done much quicker now, and we are certainly working to achieve a rapid turnaround,” Minister Montague said.
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