Justice Minister disappointed by legal fraternity's protest

 

Justice Minister Delroy Chuck has criticised the members of the legal fraternity who staged a silent protest outside the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston on Wednesday, calling for urgent amendments to Jamaica's Firearms Act. 

 

In an interview with Radio Jamaica News on Wednesday afternoon, Minister Chuck said members of the Jamaican Bar Association were well aware of a meeting, set for Thursday, to discuss their concerns. 

 

Minister Chuck indicated that the attorneys will have to present a compelling argument to convince the government to amend the controversial legislation. 

 

"I'm really disappointed that members of the Jamaica Bar Association and the Advocates Association have taken the action today by demonstrating around the Supreme Court. On Sunday September 13th...I indicated that the matter is under consideration and told the associations that I was prepared to meet with them. In fact, a meeting is planned for September 24th with both associations. I must hasten to add, however, that government is very concerned about the prevalence of gun crime and the need to protect law-abiding citizens of this country, but remains open to dialogue on the Firearms Act of 2022," he asserted.

 

During Wednesday's protest action, dubbed "Enough Is Enough — Silent Protest: A Fairer Firearms Act for a Safer Jamaica", the attorneys criticised the law's strict mandatory sentencing provisions, which they argue limit judicial discretion and can result in disproportionate outcomes.

 

President of the Jamaican Bar Association (JAMBAR), Tenneshia Watkins, as well as veteran attorneys Peter Champagnie and Christopher Townsend were among the lawyers protesting in Kingston.

 

Ms. Watkins said the protest will be sustained next week if there is no response from the government.

 

"We will continue to withdraw our services until we get some attention and that the discussion begins. It can't be that a guilty plea is of no moment in this piece of legislation. You plead guilty, 15 years. You go through a trial and you're found guilty, 15 years. That just makes no sense," she complained.

 

Senior attorney Peter Champagnie also dismissed claims by some members of the public that the protest action is in support of criminals and killers.

 

"It has to do with the fact that the mandatory minimum in all circumstances need to be reviewed. It has to do with the fact that we have to look at this... in the context where for the first time, historically, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions also is aligned with our view that there needs to be a review of the legislation," he pointed out.

 

"No one is exclusively saying that a 15-year mandatory minimum is to be removed. That's not it. We need some kind of meeting. We need some action to review the legislation. And to say that murders are down because of the gun law, in my view, in our view, that is something that is absolutely a misfit. So let us not take it as a political campaign, as some are doing, by falsely publicising placards and so on, saying 'PNP lawyers' and 'gunmen lawyers'. We have seen it," he stressed.

 

The protest also took place in the Western Regional Gun Court.