Opposition Spokesperson on Justice Zulieka Jess has called on the Government to urgently amend the Firearms (Prohibition Restriction and Regulation) Act to restore unrestricted sentencing discretion to judges, warning that the legislation has made criminals out of non-violent Jamaicans.

At the same time, the opposition lawmaker also charged that Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake was building a “wall of institutional arrogance”, when, in the wake of public outcry over mounting police killings, he reportedly told his rank-and-file officers “not to become paralysed by criticism”.

In pushing for an amendment to the Firearms (Prohibition Restriction and Regulation) Act, Jess said the Government should make it retroactive, so that those currently suffering as a result of this legislative failure could have their sentences reviewed.