“Any perceived or substantive effort to diminish strength of Firearms Act should be strongly resisted”

September 25, 2026

Government Senator Abka Fitz-Henley says any perceived or substantive effort to diminish the strength of the Firearms Act should be strongly resisted.

His comment follows a protest on Wednesday by lawyers who called for amendments to the legislation, especially regarding the mandatory sentencing provision.

Lawyers have argued that the Act, in its current form, takes away the discretion of the judge.

They explained that one punishment does not fit all crimes, so judges should be allowed to use a range of sentences based on the circumstances of each case.

In declaring his support for the 15-year minimum penalty, Senator Fitz-Henley cautioned that its removal would represent a weakening of the legislation.

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Senator Fitz-Henley also rejected a suggestion by some stakeholders that the empirical evidence does not indicate that there has been a corresponding reduction in the number of gun-related offences or cases brought before the Gun Court since the passage of the Act in 2022.

He cited data from the Court Administration Division, which showed a 10 per cent decline in new Gun Court filings from 403 cases in 2021, before the legislation took effect to 363 cases in 2024.

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The Senator said that, with consideration for the creative sector, he does not oppose a revision of aspects of the law which relate to imitation firearms.

Attorneys have argued that the legislation incorrectly treats a fake or toy gun like a lethal weapon.

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