Griffith backs bill to curb guns

COMMISSIONER of Police (CoP) Gary Griffith has endorsed Government proposals to restrict bail to people held with illegal firearms.

At Thursday’s post-Cabinet briefing, Minister of National Security Stuart Young said no bail would be given for 120 days to someone caught with an illegal gun, to someone held with a gun who is on bail for another offence and for other serious offences including gang activity. He proposed to amend the Bail Act.

Contacted for comment Griffith said, “I fully endorse and embrace such a decision. The crux of the matter is our laws are really outdated, if you look at best practice internationally.”

He said in TT, somebody charged for a $10,000 bounced cheque might have his bail set at hundreds of thousands of dollars, but someone caught with a firearm can get out of jail on bail of just $5,000. Griffith said the possession of an illegal firearm is as serious as attempted murder.

“When somebody has a firearm, they have 13 opportunities to kill 13 persons. That should not be something that is easy, that you just throw up your cash, get bail and go out and purchase another firearm, and then try to put a ‘hit’ on the person who sold you out.”

He reiterated his support for curbing this situation. “The police, we are running our blood to water to apprehend individuals with illegal firearms, and then they are just walking out back onto the street.

“So it is a revolving door in the present process. So the police, we fully endorse and embrace such a recommendation.”

He lamented that a lack of consequences for such criminality.

“The criminal element prefer to have an illegal firearm to protect themselves and conduct their trade because they know if they are apprehended they can be back out on the street within a few hours, paying just a few thousand dollars in bail.”