Trinidad Tobago Prime Minister Moves to Make Firearms User Licenses Shall Issue

In a parliamentary election in Trinidad and Tobago, held on April 28th, 2025, the United National Congress (UNC) party won 26 of 41 seats, returning Kamla Persad-Bissessar to power as Prime Minister after 10 years on the sidelines. From caribbeanamericanpassport.com:

At age 73, Persad-Bissessar becomes the first person in the nation’s history to serve non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister, having previously held the office from 2010 to 2015. She remains the only woman to have led the twin-island Caribbean nation.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar made reform of defense laws and access to legal firearms a core part of her campaign. Law abiding citizens will be able to obtain a Firarms Users License (FUL), essentially making the FUL “shall issue”.  From guardian.co.tt:

“We will be reviewing shortly the firearm license laws. Remember we’ve said we will consider giving legal firearms to law-abiding citizens? But they will only be given to persons who want it,” the PM said.

“I see some people complaining and saying, ‘No, No, No!’,” she observed. “If you don’t want it [a FUL], you know what to do. Do not apply.”

The UNC made legal gun ownership, ‘stand your ground’ and anti-home invasion laws a pillar of its campaign strategy.

As discussed in an AmmoLand article in January, crimes in Trinidad and Tobago have skyrocketed, presumably because of the dysfunctional society which exists in Venezuela. Trinidad and Tobago exist close to the Venezuela coast. At the closest point, there are only seven miles separating Trinidad and Tobago from Venezuela.

The homicide rate in Trinidad and Tobago was at historic highs in 2024, at 45.7 homicides per 100,000 people.  Leftist academics blame an increase in the availability of illegal firearms for the increase.  In 2000, the rate was a little over 9 per 100,000. Hugo Chavez started implementing his “Bolivian” revolution in 2000.

As organized crime, extortion and murder have skyrocketed in Trinidad and Tobago, the idea of armed self defense has become more popular.  The previous government in Trinidad and Tobago declared a state of emergency which lasted 105 days, ending on April 13. Under the state of emergency, the police could search homes and individuals without a warrant.

It remains to be seen what legislation will be passed in Trinidad and Tobago. The UNC, with nearly two thirds of the seats in Parliament, has the ability to pass legislation at will. If Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar fulfills her promises, enacts “shall issue” reforms for the FUL, and passes “stand your ground” and anti-home invasion laws, Trinidad and Tobago will be an interesting test case among Carribean nations. When Jamaica enacted draconian anti firearms laws in the 1960s, homicides broke record highs.  When President Bolsonaro of Brazil reformed the extremely restrictive firearms laws in Brazil, homicide rates dropped sharply.

There is considerable academic debate about whether restricting the access to legal firearms increases or decreases the homicide rate. There have been many decades of experience with draconian gun controls, in many countries. The United States of America stands out as highly unusual where access to firearms is readily available to most people. When comparing large countries such as India, China, Brazil, and the United States, it appears controls have little effect except to make criminals out of people who experience a strong need to protect themselves. Academic John Lott states that in every case where guns (or just handguns) are severely restricted or banned, the homicide rate goes up.

 ©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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