Belize House of Representatives Tackles National Matters, Including Gun Control Board

The House of Representatives meeting on Friday was anything but mundane.  While the back and forth on disrespect and Shyne’s unforthcoming apology, there were national matters attended to through the introduction of Bills, Bills for a Second Reading, and the discourse on the adjournment.  We have told you of the activation of the National Accreditation Council, the amendments to the Criminal Code Act and the Summary Jurisdiction Act, as well as the amendments to the Nationality Act and the Economic Citizenship Program.  In the latter part of Friday’s session, the Bill to establish a Gun Control Board saw its second reading.  It is a Bill that seeks to appoint a board that will have the authority to cancel, approve and reject applications for gun licenses.  From the opposition side, Patrick Faber, gave his consent to the Bill, but did had several concerns on the matter.

Patrick Faber, Collet Area Representative: “Just to put on record Madam Speaker that we support this particular bill and I think that it comes at the right time given all that we have seen can happen with gun licenses when it is left to just one individual to decide what’s going to happen. I think it is no secret that a lot has happened especially under the present Commissioner. What was it ? Almost ten gun licenses within a couple month period, an eighteen month period or so ? Seventeen months ? And to be honest with you Madam Speaker has not really received a clear answer as to what has gone on there. So while we are moving on and while we are moving to a system that we are hoping is much better and I say that because in as much as it is what we feel that it is hard to corrupt a system with more people being the watchdogs than just one individual the truth of the matter is if those individuals selected – and I see the guidelines and I appreciate those guidelines but if the fact of the matter is we don’t put people of integrity and there is some leeway in the people who are the make of the board that if we don’t select the right people with the right integrity in terms of this body we will see the vary same problems. Now I’m not casting any aspersions on the Commissioner but there are questions that really need to be answered as it relates. That wasn’t the first case there was a case with this lady from Tanga, Marybeth and who was saying so there are many many questions that are left . And I hope that Mr. Minister of Home Affairs that we’re trying to get to the bottom of these things because it can mean that in fact a good number of those licenses that are issued out there still in the wrong hands and it could contribute to the very very overwhelming problem that we have now with crime and violence but particularly gun violence in this country and so we support it. In our discussions Madam Speaker we had one slight little concern about the certification. The certification of competence of the applicants and who would really do that certification. I don’t know that we have any – maybe I’m not into the gun world so I don’t know but I’m not sure that we have any entity that can do that certification here in Belize. So while we put in place the framework today I’m hoping that there is going to be additional work to ensure that all that is required in terms of this legislation is there so that we can have smooth functioning. I remember some time ago Madam Speaker we had a similar problem with the issuance of visas for instance and we put in place a committee and I don’t know that there has been any greater efficiency in terms of that process so I just want to caution that we sometimes put in place a different structure hoping for a different result but if we don’t put in the supporting environment fro legislation to work or for the structure to work it still won’t work and so I hope that this is just not an empty exercise. My colleague assures me though that we have had very good committee meetings dealing with this issue and in fact the participation from stakeholders has been very good and so we are okay with supporting this bill today Madam Speaker.”

Minister Julius Espat also rose on the issue of gun control.  He stated his position of being in favor of gun control, the move to have a board could standardize and give more transparency that the system currently allows.

Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing: “Having a board consisting of three people instead of one person is in my opinion always a positive thing. The Commissioner is as we’re all aware is a very busy man and so having three people that have the time to do the necessary vetting I think is positive. It will relieve him of lots of stress and so I think that goes for transparency and accountability which is what we all fight for. I believe that private citizens in this country should have the right to own a licensed weapon, not all of us agree on that but I do I fundamentally believe in that especially coming from the rural communities Madam Speaker where we hunt, we need security in our farms, we need personal security and I say this because if anybody can challenge me the statistics of the use of firearms for homicides is not based on licensed firearms it is mostly unlicensed firearms that cause these problems. With that said though Madam Speaker I also believe in gun control which is what we’re speaking of and I think we have to raise the bar a little bit more. Firearm training, the use of firearms I think the police department and the BDF have experienced people, in fact I know personally of a Sergeant that is trained internationally to handle firearms and to teach people how to use firearms properly and I think that is something that should be added with time so that everybody that is given a license for a firearm understands how it works, what are the mechanisms involved. For example in the army you have to be able to disassemble your weapon, you have to know how to clean it, you have to know how it works, how the safety features work and each weapon from various manufacturers their safety features are totally different so one has to be aware of the weapon that one is using. But I have a recommendation. I think that the new board should look at not giving any license to convicts of violent offense using a firearm both nationally and internationally. That is a no no in my opinion Madam Speaker and it should be a no no for anybody on both sides of this house. We should not issue licences to any convicted criminal that has used a weapon for violent reasons and that Madam Speaker is fundamental and I think that should be the first thing the board reconsiders when they sit to issue new license and to look at license holders that have that record both internationally and nationally.”

The idea of a gun control board has come about after public reports of the purchasing of gun licenses.  Currently, the Police Commissioner is the one who approves gun license applications.  Recently, he has come under scrutiny after Ricardo Borja who had acquired multiple gun licenses within a period of eighteen months.