Michael Scott On Gun Buy Back Programme

April 17, 2013

“The Minister of Public Safety’s recently announced gun buy back program has positive prospects for success, provided the program is made to operate like a standard bounty; anything less and the public may not respond or provide information to the police,” said Shadow Public Safety Minister Michael Scott.

Last week Minister of Public Safety Michael Dunkley announced a gun bounty programme aimed at getting illegal firearms off the streets incorporating an awareness of Crime Stoppers emphasizing confidentiality, rewards offered for information that leads to the recovery of a firearm or the arrest and prosecution of an offender, and an illegal weapons amnesty.

Mr Scott continued, “Furthermore the programme will be fruitless from the start if the process does not involve persons remaining anonymous. Linking the receipt of the bounty to the requirement that the information must lead to an arrest and prosecution of the offender, as the Minister is quoted as saying, suggests strongly that the informant will have to give evidence.

“It is also unclear why the Minister is being tentative about the amount of money being posted as the Bounty – both steps put the programme at risk. Anonymity and the money offer are the two key factors as to securing public participation.

“The primary good that can come out of the Gun Buy Back Programme is the ability to get guns off the street. As the Minister of Public Safety declared in his statement, getting one gun turned in that has been used in several murders is positive news. We in the PLP agree.

Mr Scott concluded, “However, to encourage effective participation, there must be a guarantee that any informants’ identities must be protected and that the bounty amounts must be published.”

Read More About

Category: All, Crime

Comments (7)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Jael21 says:

    There aren’t enough guns in Bermuda for this to be effective. Only the a few maybe turned in and those will be from the gang members. Normal citizens don’t have access to guns, as they do in the states, which is where this buy back progamme is so popular.

    I don’t agree with giving gang members money for murder weapons that they or someone they know used to take a life.

    • Kathy says:

      ANYTHING…to make this country safer!!!

      The one thing that is missing from this programme is stiffer laws against those found with guns after a deadline date of a gun buyback scheme!! If there is no incentive to give them up, there will be little response. There has to be a financial incentive followed by VERY stiff penalties for the programme to work (like 20 years in jail, no questions asked, if you are caught with a gun on your person)!

    • duh says:

      Pay attention this is not hand in a gun for money!!! It is give us info on someone with a gun!! Duh

  2. Django unchained says:

    What the Minister is trying to do also has the potential to set people up. If I don’t like someone I could plant a gun on them and report it

  3. Not Surprised says:

    My view is that this initiative, although having potential, would need to be very regulated. If not then we will just be rewarding criminals financially and may offer them the ability to turn a profit. I understand that concept and commend the government for trying to implement changes. Just don’t neccessarily think it’s the right change.

  4. foolishness says:

    I don’t think any of these criminals would turn there guns in because the gun is a form of power for them.. They are using these weapons to rob people for money and not no little money.. What the government needs to do is set up a program where they can get some undercover police to entrap these fools..set them up. Make them think that they are buying a gun or ammunition and as soon as the deal is made off to jail u go.. In order to catch a criminal u need to think like a criminal…