It’s now official that a gun amnesty is in effect in Grenada.
Legislators in Parliament voted in favour of a motion brought by the Dickon Mitchell-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration to Parliament to give persons on the island three months to surrender their illegal firearms and ammunition or face stiff penalties if caught by the police for breaching the Firearms Act.
The amnesty period will run from May 1 until 12:00 a.m. on July 3, 2024.
This is the legislation that was approved in Parliament to give life to the Firearms amnesty:-
2024 Firearms (Firearms Amnesty) Order SRO. 8
GRENADA
STATUTORY RULES AND ORDERS NO. 8 OF 2024
The Minister, in exercise of the powers conferred on him under section 51A of the Firearms Act, Chapter 105, hereby makes the following Order – (Gazetted 29th April, 2024).
WHEREAS the Minister is satisfied that a firearms amnesty order may result in a reduction in the number of illegally possessed firearms or ammunition in Grenada, and that it is in the public interest to declare the firearms amnesty;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDERED as follows–
- Citation. This Order may be cited as the
FIREARMS (FIREARMS AMNESTY) ORDER, 2024.
- Definition. In this Order, “Act” means the Firearms Act, Chapter 105.
- Declaration of Amnesty. An amnesty is hereby declared in the State of Grenada during the period commencing on the 1st day of May 2024 and ending at 12:00 a.m. on the 30th day of July 2024 whereby any person may, in respect of any firearm or ammunition that satisfies the conditions specified in section 4 of this Order, be granted the relief specified in section 51A of the Act, (hereinafter referred to as “the firearms amnesty”).
- Conditions of Amnesty.—(1) Pursuant to section 3, the conditions are that during the period specified therein, the firearm or ammunition, as the case may be, is surrendered–
(a) at any police station, to the officer in charge or the officer on duty; or
(b) at the office of the Royal Grenada Police Force Headquarters, to an officer designated by the Commissioner of Police for that purpose.
(2) A person shall not be required to disclose his or her identity or any information when surrendering a firearm or ammunition, as the case may be, and no details of the person who surrendered the said firearm or ammunition shall be recorded if the person wishes to utilise the anonymous process for the firearms amnesty.
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SRO. 8 Firearms (Firearms Amnesty) Order 2024
(3) An attorney-at-law may surrender a firearm or ammunition, as the case may be, on behalf of a person seeking a firearms amnesty in accordance with subsection (1), and in doing so shall comply with the requirements of subsection (4).
(4) The requirements referred to under subsection (3) are that the attorney-at-law shall–
(a) effect the surrender of the firearm or ammunition, as the case may be, in accordance with subsection (1) forthwith upon taking possession of said firearm or ammunition or if any circumstances occur to prevent such surrender, he or she shall forthwith notify the officer in charge or the officer on duty at the nearest police station or the person designated by the Commissioner of Police at the Royal Grenada Police Force Headquarters to make such arrangements as may be necessary for the firearm or ammunition, as the case may be, to be surrendered without further delay;
(b) until the surrender is effected, keep the firearm or ammunition, as the case may be, in a safe place; and
(c) make a record of the quantity of firearms or ammunition, as the case may be, that were received and to the extent possible, in the case of each firearm or ammunition–
(i) the serial number;
(ii) type;
(iii) make; and
(iv) model.
(5) A copy of the information recorded under subsection (4) shall be submitted to the officer in charge, the officer on duty or the person designated by the Commissioner of Police at the Royal Grenada Police Force Headquarters, as soon as reasonably practicable but in any event no later than the 30th day of July 2024.
(6) For the avoidance of doubt, the relief specified in section 51A (5) of the Act shall apply to each person who surrenders a firearm or ammunition in accordance with this Order.
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2024 Firearms (Firearms Amnesty) Order SRO. 8
(7) In order to facilitate the surrender of any firearm or ammunition pursuant to this Order, the person making the surrender is encouraged to call ahead to the police station at which he or she intends so to do, prior to travelling with the firearm or ammunition, to inform the officer in charge or the officer on duty at the police station of the proposed surrender or to make arrangements for the surrender.
Made by the Minister this 16th day of April, 2024.
DICKON MITCHELL Minister responsible for Home Affairs. Approved by the House of Representatives this 25th day of April, 2024.
ANDREW AUGUSTINE
Clerk to the House of Representatives.