From M Messiter.
AN article in your paper on 24 August told us how Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies considers that measures to protect Islanders from illegally owned firearms are ‘inconsistent and ineffective’.

The inspectorate consider that the States police are doing a good job of running a register of legally owned firearms (perhaps because it is the same system as in the UK) but that they do not like heads of the parish honorary system, the Constables, being the arbiter of who may be allowed to possess a firearm (probably because it is different).

This seems to be another manifestation of the idea that the best way to do anything must be the way it is done in the UK; to do anything in a different manner has to be less satisfactory. The notion is very often unfounded. While it might appear to be bigotry, it is, I believe, symptomatic of the way in the UK blind adherence to bureaucratic rules has replaced reasoned thought that was the basis of common sense and good governance.

The UK way of firearms licensing failed most signally at Dunblane, when Thomas Hamilton, who had held firearms for some years without any problem, had his licence renewed despite his behaviour becoming so odd that people who knew him were concerned that he should continue to have firearms.

This concern was made known to the local police, who recommended that his licence should not be renewed. However, a superior officer at HQ in Glasgow allowed renewal on the basis that if a refusal to renew was challenged in court, there was no tangible evidence to support the refusal, so Hamilton would likely win and have his licence returned. That reasoning may well have been correct.

Here in the Island, the decision rests solely with the Constable. Although he may take advice from anyone he chooses, it is a decision for the Constable alone. The obvious advantages of this are that the decision is made locally and there is no chain of command, where all the links have to arrive at the same decision to be effective.

Furthermore, although anyone refused a licence has a right to ask the court to overturn the Constable’s decision, the court has been most reluctant so to do.

It is worth saying again that firearms licensing offers no protection to anyone, here or in the UK, from illegally held firearms. Such firearms are outside the licensing system which is able to deal only with law-abiding people who wish to possess firearms.
Le Boulevard Cottage,
Rozel Hill,
St Martin.