Integrity Commission report on FLA ammunition gaps finally tabled in Parliament

Parliament has tabled the Integrity Commission’s investigative report into the Firearm Licensing Authority, a 131-page document examining claims of corruption, impropriety and irregularities involving firearm licences, ammunition storage and firearms held by the agency.

The report was submitted to Parliament on March 30 and was eventually tabled after more than eight weeks, following a court hearing over the matter. Attorney-at-law Clyde Williams argued that the Integrity Commission Act should be amended to require such reports to be tabled within a clear period after receipt, saying the current law does not set a precise deadline.

Political commentator Dr. Nadine Spence cautioned that any reform should be weighed against Parliament’s discretion and the wider principles of democratic governance. She also raised concern that some people named in the report could face reputational damage where allegations were not proven.

The investigation began after an anonymous email dated May 31, 2021, alleged wrongdoing at the FLA, including claims about a firearm dealer and alleged missing guns and ammunition. A further statement dated August 19, 2021, raised issues about ammunition purchases, disputed electronic entries and the treatment of dealer Kent Brown.

The Director of Investigation found accountability concerns at the FLA’s main vault and recommended that the agency address ammunition storage issues, maintain its servers properly and ensure a backup server exists.

The report also recommended that the Ministry of National Security conduct a full independent audit of all FLA vaults to determine the extent of any missing ammunition and confirm that all recorded firearms are accounted for. The recommendation followed a check of only 17 per cent of 4,103 entries in the electronic vault management system, where significant anomalies were detected.

The Director of Investigation said one missing round of ammunition was too many, given Jamaica’s problem with firearm-related violent crime.