There should be a review and an investigation of firearm issuance in Grenada, according to leader of the parliamentary opposition, Tillman Thomas.
"I believe there is need for a review of the situation,'' said Thomas, Political Leader of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC)."I believe the authorities should start right now looking at this", he added.
Thomas announced that if no action is taken on the matter by the current New National Party (NNP) administration of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell then an NDC government will launch an investigation to look into the criteria under which firearms are issued.
"Those who are in possession of guns who should not have been, there should be some means of recalling those guns,'' he remarked. "We need to have a society that is violent-free", said Thomas who will most likely hold the post of Minister of National Security under a Congress government.
Recent incidents, in which guns were drawn, have sent shock waves through many Grenadian communities at home and abroad.
In one of the more high profile incidents, a man was shot dead on Christmas Day in Maran, St. John's by a known political activist of the ruling party.
A second incident in January resulted in a senior civil servants being charged with attempted murder for shooting a Grenadian residing in Canada in the abdomen, chest and back.
There are reports that an increasing number of firearm licences were issued by the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) under the command of then Commissioner, Fitzroy Bedeau to persons in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004.
Bedeau, now the candidate for the constituency of St. John's in the upcoming general election, was forced to quit the force after Prime Minister Mitchell reportedly lost confidence in him due to the force's poor performance during the hurricane.
According to Thomas, the NDC is concerned about these incidents of violence with guns in the society, adding that some of the weapons "are even more powerful than those that the police have in their possession''.
"We are calling on the authorities to look into this situation. We want to see more serious criteria set, and adhered to, for making guns available to citizens of the State of Grenada", he said.
