Above: National Security Minister Peter Bunting (FP)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Jamaica, following the lead of a number of Caribbean countries, will soon receive two firearm marking machines to assist its efforts to stem the illegal gun trade.

The “Dot Peen” machines, provided by the Organization of American States, place marks on firearms that cannot be easily erased, facilitating improved tracking by the authorities.

“We plan to use one of these machines at the Firearm Licensing Authority, which will be responsible for marking all the licensed firearms imported into Jamaica for civilian use,” said National Security Minister Peter Bunting. “The second machine will go to the forensic lab and they will be responsible for marking all the weapons that will be used by the security forces.”

Bunting said the government was “pleased” to be a part of the regional effort to stem illicit trafficking of small arms.

Several Caribbean countries, including Trinidad and the Bahamas, are already using firearm marking machines provided by the OAS.

“We look forward to further strengthening and deepening the cooperation between all the member states of the OAS and Jamaica in this very important task,” Bunting said.

OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza said the programme aims to combat what he called “a scourge that is becoming more organised, unfortunately, in the Americas and is certainly a transnational phenomenon.”

“What we want to do is have a marking of the guns, so that we will know where the illegalities are committed and where the guns come from,” he said.