A Coast Guard officer, who had been embroiled in a protracted legal battle over the delay in processing his firearm user’s licence (FUL), has finally received his provisional licence. The officer, whose identity remains undisclosed due to security concerns, was granted leave by Justice Karen Reid to pursue a judicial review against the Commissioner of Police (CoP), Allister Guevarro. The officer alleged that the CoP had failed to fulfil a statutory duty by not processing firearm licence applications for eligible, law-abiding citizens. The officer had initially applied for the FUL in 2015, with a police investigation completed in 2016. Despite providing all necessary documentation and being informed that the investigating officer raised no objections, the application remained unresolved for nearly a decade. The officer’s legal team, led by attorney Keron Ramkhalwhan, argued that the CoP’s inaction compromised public safety and infringed on citizens’ right to self-defence. The officer criticised the CoP’s restrictive interpretation of the Firearms Act and the failure to allocate resources to expedite applications. On October 29, the officer collected his provisional licence, and the TT Police Service’s legal unit confirmed the decision on November 17. Consequently, a hearing scheduled for November 18 is expected to be vacated. The officer emphasised that the decade-long delay was unreasonable and highlighted the escalating criminal activity as a grave public concern.
Coast Guard officer gets provisional gun licence after 10-year delay
