Lower House approves changes to Firearms Bill

THE House of Representatives on Friday followed the Senate's lead in rescinding proposals to allow the Minister of National Security to extend the life of a firearms user licence (FUL), these licences being issued by the Commissioner of Police (CoP.)

Over the previous week both Houses debated the Firearms (Amendment) Bill 2022 which allowed the Prisons Commissioner and Strategic Services Agency director to issue FULs to approved officers, and proposed to let the minister extend the validity of a FUL beyond its original three years specified period.

Initially the House approved the bill on Friday, February 3. However by last Wednesday, February 8, the Senate amended the bill to no longer let the minister extend FULs. On Friday, the House approved Senate amendments to the bill including disempowering the minister from extending FULs.

Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds brought the motion, to which Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal replied, before a unanimous vote in support.