Prime Minister Holness says it is not beyond legislators to make laws tougher, while ensuring that innocent protected

October 5, 2026

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has stated that it is not beyond legislators to make laws tougher, while ensuring that the innocent are protected.

Dr. Holness made the statement during a meeting with the Jamaican Bar Association and the Advocates Association on the Firearms Act on Friday.

Attorneys protested last month as they called for aspects of the Act to be amended, particularly as it relates to mandatory minimum sentences and persons held with imitation firearms.

Dr. Holness said that while he acknowledged the concerns raised by the legal fraternity, particularly around exceptional circumstances and the need to preserve fairness in the application of the law, the Government must continue to remove illegal guns from communities and protect people from gun violence.

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He assured the Associations that the concerns raised would form part of the review process of the legislation.

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