Gun Bill with stiff penalties tabled in HoA
The proposed legislation was tabled in the House of Assembly yesterday March 12, 2015.
The Firearm and Air Guns Amendment Act 2015 was tabled by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith, following up on a promise the NDP made during its campaign prior to the 2011 elections.
The Act when passed will give judges and magistrates the authority to use their discretion in imposing penalties where they feel that the penalties would be arbitrary or disproportionate.
According to the Act, persons other than juveniles who use a firearm in the commission of a crime, including kidnapping, robbery, rape or other sexual offences or domestic violence acts, face 15 years behind bars.
The Act states that for having prohibited weapons a person faces a minimum fine of $80,000 or no less than five years imprisonment.
For the Act of attempting to use a weapon to intimidate, threaten or cause injury to the governor or a judge, master or magistrate, public officer or member of the House of Assembly a person faces a sentence of 10 years.
For trading in firearms or air guns when one is unauthorised to do so, one faces a fine of $50,000 no less than $50,000 or imprisonment of not less than eight years.
Over the last months, despite the utterings from the Government to the contrary, persons on the streets say that crime, especially gun crime, is on the rise. The Opposition parties have been critical of the Government’s sloth in bringing the legislation aimed at addressing serious gun crime in the territory.
See our previous story here:
http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/still-no-gun-legislation-another-ndp-broken-promise
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17 Responses to “Gun Bill with stiff penalties tabled in HoA”
If is one thing NDP did as a good things since they been in power, this will be it. However adding to the (mandatory 20 year sentence for being convicted & The ( gun crime; 10 years for threatening with a gun) While this is still let's just go to gridlock & cut the goose chase & add 2 years on each gun shot, as the basic hand gun carry 8 shots, 8x2=16. 16 years for the shot & 20 years in convicted. That's 36 years just for being stupid, If i was a (Bad man Thug) this will make me think twice...............
However good to wake up to good new.
I support the movement
caught with a gun = 20 years
caught with a gun + bullets = 30 years
commit a gun crime = 40 years
murder with a gun = 80 years
The convicted could also
look at it as his positive contribution to society.
Parents might also revisit their roles and seek to gain the respect of their children.
An all around win win.
not a care for people's right to defend themselves. what a shame.
Good going NDP. You are the better hope for the country.