There needs to be a full accounting for what transpired in relation to the teenagers, said to be the children of Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, holding weapons allegedly without the required authority to do so.
The Firearms Act Chapter 16 in Sections 8 and 9 states that only members of the Defence Force or a police officer, or someone who has a firearms user’s licence is allowed to be in possession of a firearm in a “public place.”
Anyone else “who carries a firearm or ammunition in a public place...is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of $40,000 and to imprisonment for eight years.” Section 9 goes further and states that anyone who sells or transfers a weapon to anyone who is not authorised to carry a weapon is similarly guilty. In this instance, the guilty person is liable to 15 years in prison.
Those are quite tough sentences and sizeable fines indicating the seriousness of the crimes.
Therefore, what reportedly transpired with the teenagers not only involves them but those who placed the weapons in their hands.
It could even mean that people who stood on the sidelines and those who should know better but allowed the illegality to take place, may also have to answers questions to the court. The section does not make exemption for weapons which are not loaded.
Unfortunately what we have heard so far from the Attorney General and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley are statements which deflect from the possible illegality of the acts, not admitting to anything, a frontal attack on MP Roodal Moonilal—who claimed he did what he had to do—and unsubstantiated allegations against Defence Force personnel.
A statement from the senior public affairs officer of the Defence Force Major Al Alexander is more forthcoming. Major Alexander said the AG’s family members “were not involved in the training exercise; the purpose of them being there was for them to understand in particular emergencies what is done.” Further, apparently explaining why the weapons were placed into the hands of the teenagers, Major Alexander compared it to when exhibitions are held by the Defence Force and there is the curiosity of someone wanting to hold and feel a weapon.
“It was really to remove the fear and apprehension,” said the officer. And “we allowed them to hold it, the gun,” he suggests.
The difficulty there is whether such action is legal and who has to take responsibility if the act of handing the weapons to teenagers is not legal.
As to the pictures being taken, in one of the photos the female teenager is giving off with a “V” sign with the weapon in her hand.
That suggests that she was aware of the picture being taken and was posing for the camera.
Further the suggestion there is that the teenager knew who was taking the picture and perhaps for what purpose.
A full statement needs to be made and Prime Minister Rowley has to be careful about ascribing blame to Defence Force personnel without being in possession of the facts, or willing to release them to the nation.
