Kimoy Gaynor | FLA not wilfully frustrating applicants

The Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) has taken note of the Letter of the Day titled 'FLA dragging its feet, punishing clients' by Kent Brown published on Tuesday, April 17, 2018. The Authority takes the opportunity to provide clarity on the concerns raised and to emphasise that it would be imprudent within business practice to punish or seek to punish any client by means of delay.

In June 2017, the Authority came under public glare concerning the issuance of firearm licences and permits to persons of questionable character, which prompted an investigation by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency and the Office of the Contractor General into what was deemed impropriety and corruption in the licensing process. The Authority has been cooperating with both entities and has since implemented more stringent measures for the screening of applicants and licence holders.

We have found that persons of questionable character and even convicted criminals are applying for firearm licences. As such, to protect the integrity of the Authority, additional measures are now in place to strengthen our due-diligence process. These added measures may indeed result in fewer applications being approved for firearm licences as they may not meet or fail to satisfy the fit and proper criteria. Thus, less business may be generated for those who are in the business of selling firearms and ammunition. The Authority, however, cannot compromise the security of the nation to keep an industry vibrant.

Applications on hold

As it pertains to persons who have been awaiting licences from June last year, the delay has been caused by the discovery of several irregularities in the approval process for these applicants. They have been placed on hold to ensure persons of questionable character and convicted criminals do not complete the process (even if they were approved).

Therefore, Kent Brown and other industry players ought to understand that we cannot sacrifice the integrity of the entity on the altar of expediency for the purpose of generating business for the industry.

In relation to Mr Brown's assertion that licence holders are being restricted from training for defence or competition, the FLA has not sought to do so. Rather, the FLA has strengthened the system to allow all licensed firearm holders to train or compete, using the hallmarks of transparency and accountability, which are the twin enemies of corruption.

The new measures are intended to prevent ammunition from being diverted from the legal trade to the illicit trade, which is one of the realities recognised worldwide in this industry.

Though the FLA was set up to regulate the industry, the Authority has not been able to do so in the manner that was intended. The industry, we believe, is underregulated, as persons were able to purchase any amount of ammunition and import/export permits were unrestricted. When compared to other jurisdiction, the industry is not overregulated.

The Authority continues to strengthen its systems in an manner that will foster good relations with the industry players while maintaining such systems that the public will have confidence in. As a self-financing body, we would never implement measures that would adversely affect our stakeholders.

- Kimoy Gaynor is acting director of corporate planning and client relations at the FLA. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and kimoy.gaynor@fla.gov.jm.