St Vincent Prime Minster Ralph Gonsalves are among Caribbean leaders who have resolved to prohibit the use of assault weapons in their respective countries’ civilian populations.
Dr Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, made the news on Tuesday during his closing remarks at the Regional Symposium: Violence as a Public Health Issue – The Crime Challenge.
Dr. Rowley further stated that CARICOM leaders aim to write to the US President and his administration to request a “greater effort in preventing the manufacturers of these killing machines and projectiles from profiting from the outcome that is killing our people and destroying our society.” We want the firearms and ammunition to be taken away.”
“Today, we are saying to the United States that, in the same way that we fought with you to prevent the powder (cocaine) from going up North to poison your community, we want you to fight with us to prevent the guns and ammunition from coming into our territories,” he said, echoing sentiments expressed by other leaders over the two days.
Prime Minister Rowley remarked that the death toll and economic devastation caused by the reckless use of weaponry and ammunition cannot be sustained for much longer on these Caribbean islands.