Jamaica’s latest argument over illegal firearms is taking place in courtrooms, Parliament and the legal profession, but its consequences reach much further.
They reach into communities where families are deciding whether it is safe to build. They reach overseas Jamaicans deciding whether to return home. They reach buyers choosing between a standalone house and a gated development. And they reach investors calculating whether Jamaica represents opportunity, risk, or some combination of both.
Defence attorneys have begun withdrawing legal services from criminal courts as part of an escalating dispute over the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act, 2022, particularly its mandatory minimum sentences.
At first glance, the argument can sound simple: lawyers want the law softened while the Government wants tougher punishment.
The reality is considerably more complicated.
The Jamaican Bar Association and Advocates’ Association of Jamaica have said their objection is not to serious…
