Those in possession of illegal firearms have been cautioned that once the amnesty begins, to
turn them in.
“Make no mistake, make absolutely no mistake [that] our resolve is to get rid of the guns
from the streets of St Vincent and the Grenadines,” Enville Williams, Commissioner of Police
(Ag) said during a press conference on Monday.
He said that it was the intent of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force
(RSVGPF) to give those in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition to give them up
and that the amnesty was expected to begin shortly.
This Williams explained was among a number of measures geared towards making the streets
and communities safe for all.
“We are resolved to get them, so we want to encourage you who in some way, shape or
fashion believe that you have an upper hand to know that the RSVGPF and law enforcement
generally in the country, we will do all that we have to do to protect the good name of St
Vincent and the Grenadines and protect the citizens of the country from these senseless acts
of violence,” COP Williams told members of the media.
According to the Commissioner, gun culture was too glorified in society and evidence of this
was portrayed in the media through the music that the nation’s youth listen to.
Williams added that music with violent content was often the first thing that young men and
women listened to on mornings, often in mini-buses and the last thing at night.
He appealed to the youth, particularly those who were the perpetrators of some of the gun-
related crimes to stop.
Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves announced during his Independence Speech plans for a
gun amnesty, which was part of an overall program called ‘Independence from Fear’.
According to the prime minister, the amnesty was expected to begin some time after an
amendment Bill is expected to be brought to Parliament for increased penalties for those in
possession of illegal firearms.