Senator questions ‘lax’ firearms law

Monday 20th March 2006, 12:00AM GMT.

THE parish Constables’ role in enforcing the Island’s gun laws is to be raised in the States.

Senator Stuart Syvret was tabling questions today to ask at next week’s Assembly after the JEP revealed that more than 11,000 guns are owned, some of them so powerful that the police say they would need to call in the Army if they were used criminally.

The Constables have also given permission for six individuals to own .50 calibre machine guns capable of killing from several miles.

The Firearms Law is to be reviewed by Home Affairs and the Constables amid concerns about the checks which are carried out on applicants.

It will examine the types of gun which can be legally owned by private individuals.

Constables’ chairman Ken Vibert insists that the breaches are a ‘technicality’ but Senator Syrvet says he has deep concerns over the Constables’ suitability for administering the law.

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