Illegal Firearms Surge Fuels Violence in Trinidad and Tobago

Criminologist Dr Daurius Figueira has expressed concerns about rising gun violence in Trinidad and Tobago due to the country’s failure to control the influx of illegal firearms. His warning came in response to a recent mass-casualty shooting in Sydney, Australia. Figueira suggests that similar incidents could occur in Trinidad and Tobago, especially with the government’s move to ease access to Firearm User’s Licences and the new Home Invasion law. Figueira emphasized that the main issue is not legal firearms, but the uncontrolled influx of illegal weapons. He expressed deep concern for the nation’s escalating violence levels which he described as pervasive and ongoing since 2017. The criminologist also pointed out the added societal strain caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has not slowed the violence and has further exhausted the population and drained public morale and resources. Figueira urged authorities to address these issues to prevent the country from spiralling into a state similar to Haiti, and to mitigate the potential for regional instability and conflict.

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