PM calls for assault weapons ban amid violent crime surge

Prime Minister Mia Mottley has called for an urgent ban on assault-style firearms, citing a rash of gun-related violence across the nation.

Speaking during Tuesday’s debate on the Bail Bill in the House of Assembly, Mottley highlighted the alarming statistic of 26 murders recorded so far this year, many involving military-style weapons.

“There is no place in any civilised society, and certainly this country of ours, for assault weapons to be used, to be in possession, [and] to even be in a museum,” Mottley declared. She contrasted the current situation with past decades, when violent acts typically involved knives or other readily available items, noting that the shift to firearms has made conflicts deadlier and more indiscriminate.

The prime minister pointed to the United States as a cautionary example of a society with easy access to assault weapons, leading to high rates of gun violence. She emphasised that Barbadians overwhelmingly reject such a path: “We all know, if we were really to poll, the majority of people in this country do not want anything to do with gun crime, do not want anything to do with reckless behaviour and reprisals.”

Mottley also acknowledged the global nature of the problem, citing the ease with which both legal and illegal items cross borders. She noted a “significant rise in the last 15 to 20 years in this country of access to automatic weapons and to assault weapons,” asserting that “these matters can no longer be tolerated by a society that wants the right to stability”,

She expressed particular concern about the growing number of young people committing violent crimes and becoming “desensitised” to the notion of death. She called for drastic steps at all levels of society to combat the issue.

Addressing criticism from opposition members regarding the Bill’s limited scope and short six-day reading period, Mottley defended the urgency of the legislation, noting the upcoming weekend climax of the Crop Over festival.

“This is not the norm, but there will be times in the life of a Parliament, that countries will require urgent debate, urgent legislation, and urgent action. This is not child’s play.”

She added: “We are going into a weekend where there is going to be a lot of activity, and we want the country to know that we are taking all reasonable actions to protect the interest of public order, public safety, individual safety, and overall the criminal justice system.

“We want the police to know we have your back. We share the concern that other heads of governments in the region share. You cannot be spending all this time and risking life and limb to capture people and have them walk through the court door like it is a revolving door. These things are wrong and will not reap success.”

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb