As government moves to substantially increase the annual fees for firearm licences as one method of boosting revenues in the country, the Opposition is of the view that certain categories of persons should be excluded from paying these increases.
Opposition Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo is calling on the APNU+AFC administration to exempt both Amerindians and farmers from this since these people stand to lose more by being forced to pay large sums of monies for their licences when they rely on their weapons to secure and maintain their livelihoods.
“If Amerindians have a shotgun in the interior they use this not for pleasure; many times it is a tool to live…so this will create significant hardships, additional burdens on these two groups of people. I also want to urge the government to cut the over 130 licences that are being increased and fees, taxes, etc, cut them by 50 per cent,” Dr Jagdeo stated.
The Government proposed to increase gun licence fees as follows:
- Shotgun licence will increase from $2,000 to $5,000
- Handgun licence will increase from $5,000 to $25,000
- Rifles from $5,000 to $40,000
- Dealers from $7,500 to $150,000
The Opposition Leader explained that some of the proposed increases which have been announced by the government range from 50 percent to 700 per cent with most of the increases noted at over 100 per cent.
With this in mind, Dr Jagdeo is imploring that the government cut the proposed increases by half of what it announced will be implemented soon.
“It is, in the entire history of my familiarity with budgets, in terms of licences and fees increased, probably the largest ever not just in number but in percentage terms,” declared Jagdeo, a Moscow-trained Economist, former Finance Minister and two-term President of Guyana.
The move for the hike in firearm licences and dealerships was announced by Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Friday last during his 2016 Budget presentation.
He told the National Assembly that Section 19 of the Firearms Act will also be amended to increase the annual fee for firearm licences.
In addition to this, a “raft of legislation would be amended” to increase the fees paid to obtain various other licences, which include regulations under the Auctioneer Act; the Hucksters Licencing and Control Act; the Miscellaneous Licences Act; the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act; the Rice Factories Act; and regulations made under the Tax Act, Jordan had said.
I have notice something developing, nuff mad man on the street eating out of garbage bins n wearing apnu t shirt, I wonder if they were in good spence before the elections. Oh maybe they are correct n is keeping with this Green economy thing, why dumping good garbage food or lef over food n we could eat it with out paying, I am not that bright maybe granger see that at recycling. Keep it up vagrant I supporting granger move. By the end of his term in office more garbage
Eater will be on the road. Hope de solja boy na join in
DK as your friend you know this move is to target the 3P SUPPORTERS, who are the benefactors of almost all the firearm licenses. This will have a great effect on not only the citizens who can barely afford security but how can the security services not hike up the already high price. This is a step in the wrong direction. The opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo is on the right track!
Question for APNU + AFC- How much increase gun license fees are you going charge your outlaw Police & GDF members, who regularly use guns purchased by tax payers to rob and kill Guyanese? Also, how much will you charge the criminals that are caught weekly with illegal weapons? But if history serves as a lesson, the Honorable President will pardon them for in his words, they deserve to have a second chance.
The upcoming Local Government election will be the beginning of the end for your Coalition(Wolves in Sheep clothing) Power Hungry and selfish hold on the People’s offices.
As my father use to say, ” woe be unto you”.
Ronald
Exempt farmers, Amerindians from paying fee increases for firearm licenses – urges Jagdeo.
The PNC has to increase things, if not they will have to declare Guyana bankrupt.
The only two thing that had PNC going was GPLand high gas price which the PNC was forced to reduced.
Let me say it again — there is none in PNC circles that knows economics..