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**Spin Doctor** » 2013-03-01 17:08

I am sure the good doctor has a firearm, and an armed security guard not to mention a home with high walls and fences to protect him.

I suggest he relinquishes his firearm, sends his armed guards home and leave the gates to his home open from now on then perhaps his opinion would change even before the first, second or third robbery where he or one of his family gets shot.

The reality Dr Caught is criminals have no problem in obtaining firearms, the actions you are taking is preventing innocent citizens from having the capability to defend themselves. Worse you are profiteering by charging $500.00 dollars only to reject applications... and on what grounds? Well that's remains a secret, it may just be the commissioner got out of bed on the wrong side or had an argument with his wife. No checks, no balances, its who you know that counts!

**fnpsr** » 2013-02-18 16:48

Tenman, it is always a pleasure to respond to your comments. I don't believe that two wrongs make a right and for that reason, I will uphold my position on the penalty for an unlicensed fire-arm. I see two issues. (1) With the upswing in crime on the island, we have to get the guns out of the hands of the bad guys. It must be brought under control. (2) The fire-arm application process must be streamlined and be made fair, so that everyone who meets the prescribed criteria will be granted a license to own a gun.

The authorities fail to realize that the bad guys will always get the guns they want. The good guys will become "lawbreakers" by circumventing the process and obtain guns illegally. When you have individuals obtaining guns from policemen, soldiers and government officials, this is tantamount to corruption and what you have is what you call "the wild, wild west".

"Let's fix the little things with RWE before we attempt to fix the big things."

**Dave** » 2013-02-18 15:45

Some people is making comments that don't make any real sense,ohh am sorry every one is entitled to an opinion ,but realistically ridding the country of all guns is a wish full thinking its like saying we going to rid the world of humans.if you criminalize guns only criminals will have them.?do any one know if you are allowed a tazer on person or it to is illegal to have.

**Dave** » 2013-02-18 15:24

$500 dollars wow that's a lot just to tell you NO

**Dave** » 2013-02-18 15:21

Higher heights start the petition please ,just announce it when you ready ,I haven't applied for a fire arm yet because I have no one in high places ,the work I do require that I have it ,if not for this work would not need it.but why go thru the ha**ment.And I must say you made some good points pertaining to why the criminals going into people's house when they are a sleep, and I recommend to gun owners to install a burglar alarm system to arouse you in the case of a breaking ,and please do not short change your security because a gun under your pillow would only activate when you are a wake .

**Dave** » 2013-02-18 15:01

Well band knifes to,you can't stop a wife or a husband from killing each other wether with a gun or cutlass,so what's your point .some times you have to fight fire with fire ,we have to start looking within and stop looking what America or what any other country is doing.maybe you are naive to the fact of what is happening here in our country ,or maybe you have a weapon already so you would campaign against other business people getting one.only criminals will have guns when we try to fight against giving legit business people weapons ,dr cort use your head the country would be much safer if I know every 1out of 10 house hold have a license fire arm .time to take back our country .

**tenman** » 2013-02-18 14:23

fnpsr after reading that, do you see why its a bad idea to make it mandatory for everyone found with an unlicensed fire arm to serve at least ten years in prison? There are persons out there who due to frustration with this process have been forced to go the illegal route in order to protect themselves. Its kinda funny when you recall individuals who have been able to secure guns from a police officer friend without having to go through an application process. One such individual was a member of parliament who was found guilty of manslaughter in 2005, using the same gun. He was later acquitted due to some technicalities (seems the jury was not properly instructed).

..

**Pied Piper** » 2013-02-18 14:16

you right on ball with this one...and the laws and regulations have not been changed since!

**Pied Piper** » 2013-02-18 14:11

Scenario: I a law abiding citizen, quite frequently visits the shooting range, I have a family, I am a respectable individual in the community, I go to church and i don't own a business, I don't hug politicians and similar wigs of society, I applied and paid $500 for a firearm license but for some strange reason I am denied the license and my $500 is not refunded.

To BALANCE out the scenario above wouldn't it be logical that I a law abiding citizen who still feels the need to protect my family, my property and my life would NOT GIVE-AWAY my hard earned money for a chance to own a firearm license but instead use that same $500 to purchase a firearm whether from off the streets, a policeman, a military man, locally or not.

I would have my $500 worth at my finger tip, with the surety that if per chance an intruder enters my home especially AT NIGHT, that I can defend my life.

**dadlison** » 2013-02-18 13:37

Maybe I am being idealistic, but more guns are never the answer. If we rid the country of all the guns currently on the streets, and sure up our coasts, we can secure a gunless soceity. Not only is theft a possibility with personal gun ownership, but firearms not properly secured can get in the hands of children. The presence of a firearm also increase the likelihood of deadly force being used in domestic and other menial disputes. Oscar Pistorius anyone? I understand that people are living in fear and want to protect themselves, but we need to get at the root of the problem, and not treat the symptoms by doling out more deadly weapons. Get ALL guns out of the country.

**fnpsr** » 2013-02-18 11:41

Finally, there should be a specified and reasonable time-frame, let's say sixty (60) days, for processing of the application. That "there is no specific time-frame between submission of the application and a decision" is ridiculous and does not comport with normal business practice.

"Let's fix the little things with RWE before we attempt to fix the big things."

**fnpsr** » 2013-02-18 11:40

Missing from the application process is a background check, good standing in the community and no criminal record.

Now here is where it gets sticky: "Subject to this section and to sections 16 and 23 the grant of any licence, certificate or permit shall be
the discretion of the Commissioner of Police." Here is where all of the politics come into play. If one has met all of the prescribed criteria, the Commissioner, depending on which side of the bed he got of on, may still disapprove the application.

"A licence, certificate or permit shall not be issued
to any person until the appropriate fee has been paid." I interpret this to mean that once one is "approved" for a licence the the fee is paid. It is unreasonable and even unconscionable to have applicants pay the full fee with no provision for refund, if the license is not granted. A better approach to this would be to have applications, pay a non refundable application fee of let's say, $50. If a approved, the application fee can be applied against the fee upon granting of the license.

**fnpsr** » 2013-02-18 11:37

The problems I see is that we enact laws and then we deviate from them and to suit some ulterior motive. Here is the procedure for application of a firearm: "Every application for any licence, certificate or
permit shall:
(a) be addressed to the Commissioner of Police;
(b) be in the prescribed form;
(c) contain the prescribed particulars;
(d) be accompanied by the prescribed number (if
any) of the photographs of the prescribed dimensions
of the person to whom the licence, certificate or permit
applied for is desired to be granted;
(e) bear upon it, if so prescribed, a specimen of
the signature of the person to whom the licence, cer-
tificate or permit applied for is desired to be granted;
(f) be signed by the applicant; and
(g) be accompanied by such other documents, if
any, as may be prescribed. "

**fire** » 2013-02-18 09:00

I have never heard this man speak to this issue before except maybe one time he talked about not wanting to create a situation of "jungle justice", and am paraphrasing here.

In other words he is saying, let the criminal terrorize you, kill you, rob you, rape you and even gun ** you and we "the security "personnel" will protect you , "IF" and "When" we can. What utter rubbish! Check the crime rate in Switzerland where every 18 year is given a gun by the government on turning 18. Almost zero.

I can tell that election is near and "Error Caught" is in fear,
so everyday
he is here there and everywhere
On the radio, he you will hear
But his words are so bare.
Same on you bway, stay over there...
Don't come near.

Election will come and UPP/WPP will go!

**skyewill** » 2013-02-18 08:56

I will sign that. Cort is BSing again. This man must think the rest of the world is stupid. His statement shows he is no in tuned just full of fluff. I spent 15 years assigned an M16 and is weapons expert and concealed qualified. I opened a business in ANU and closed it, one major reason Crime. I got broken into several times with no police protection even after I personally caught the **s. With no way to protect my property and High Taxes and utilities Antigua became a bad investment.

**skyewill** » 2013-02-18 08:49

I applied years ago, paid the fee never got any response from any one they took the money and that was it. How can a process have no specific timeframe between submission of the application and a decision? (Observer Privy Councils determination) The so-called committee is not working on anything they may pick and choose from their friends and big wigs but this is another process that is handled by folks who are not doing a good job of anything. Why accept $500 in application if the possibility is a turndown? Why not pay at the end when the application is approved. Where is the money going that they collect?

**Dave** » 2013-02-18 07:35

Yes you guys continue to balance with people's life ,the criminals not balancing nothing .so you thinking about people weapons ending up on the street,I wonder if understand that weapons comes from and who is bringing them.the same people that bring cloths also bring weapons ,they also sponsor everything ,some of it,so do you all work people.just saying chek the containers before they leave the port and when the custom officer check them get the items in the back before laziness take over.

**Higher Heights** » 2013-02-18 06:32

The issue of theft is a possibility, but can be minimized with certain stipulations such as anyone applying for a licence MUST have certain security in place. It is simply because the criminals know that law abiding citizens are not armed why they continue to terrorize us. If we become armed in order to protect ourselves, I guarantee the incidence of these crimes will decrease. In the coming days, I'm going to start a petition to force lawmakers to yield to the wishes of the people. The sad thing is that the politicians have guns to protect themselves and their families, but are insisting that other citizens have a hard time acquiring a firearm. Time for this nonsense to change.

**Higher Heights** » 2013-02-18 06:31

[T]hey have to carry out a balancing act to meet the demands of legitimate applications while still ensuring that there is not a situation created in the country where more guns are out in the public domain with the likelihood that such weapons could be stolen and end up on the streets.

This is utter rubbish and the politicians and police need to STOP using it as an excuse. The FACT is that the criminals already have guns and are using them. The ONLY way for law abiding citizens to protect themselves is to give them the opportunity to acquire a firearm. A person who is honest enough to apply for a licence to own a firearm is VERY UNLIKELY to use it for any other reason than protection.

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