Harsher penalities loom for illegal firearm possession

Persons having illegal firearms in their possession may soon face heavier penalties in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

This, as Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr Ralph Gonsalves has given the go ahead for legislation to be drafted that will increase the punishment for having an illegal firearm in one’s possession.

Speaking on WE FM’s Issue at Hand programme on Sunday October 8, the Prime Minister said when you examine the legislation across the region, comparatively, SVG might be, in terms of penalties, a little below the median line.

“…Though it used to be abnormally low and we increased it; it used to be one year and we increased it to seven years…

“…And a lot of places it’s 10 [years] in the region, in some cases 15, and I’m not talking for restricted or prohibited weapons, I am talking about ‘normal firearms’…,” the Minister of National Security said.

The maximum penalty for possession of an unlicensed firearm in SVG is a fine of $20,000 or seven years imprisonment.