The Opposition will be filing a private member’s motion at the next sitting of Parliament asking for MPs to support the legalisation of pepper spray and mace for self-defence.
This comes just two months after a public meeting on crime during which several residents said those items would allow them to feel more confident and safe.
The motion, moved by David Wight, George Town West MP, said incidents of armed robberies have increased significantly in recent times.
“People are concerned about their safety and the need to defend themselves,” it said.
However, according to the Penal Code (2022 Revision), “any weapon of any description or design, adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid or gas” is prohibited.
Anyone who imports, manufactures, sells, hires or has in their possession a prohibited weapon risks a fine of up to $10,000 and 10 years in prison.
Wight’s motion said the Penal Code, Firearms Act and other relevant legislation should be amended to permit the importation and sale of chemical sprays and mace, but only by duly licensed pharmacies and drug stores.
The law should also allow the use of pepper spray and mace for “self-defence and personal protection”, subject to appropriate restrictions on age and other relevant criteria, the motion said.
Past efforts
The issue first came up in the then Legislative Assembly in October 2011, when lawmakers unanimously supported a similar private member’s motion – but no action was taken by the government at the time.
Opposition MLA Ezzard Miller, in 2019, sought to renew that effort through another motion to have pepper spray legalised, after a woman was assaulted in North Side.
Alden McLaughlin, as premier, supported the motion, but spoke of concerns that such weapons could be used by the “wrong persons for the wrong reasons”.
In 2022, Infrastructure Minister Jay Ebanks attempted to get pepper spray legalised after a spate of crimes against women.
But at the time he told the Compass he was unable to get support from the National Security Council or police to move law changes forward.
He said, as a “fighter for the people” he would “continue to push it until it becomes law”.
The latest motion on pepper spray and mace was one of six from the Opposition that were stamped on Monday, 11 Sept., for presentation in Parliament.
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