Some state agencies to be weaned from public funding

[Dr.Dudd]

Some state agencies to be weaned from public funding
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Prime Minister Bruce Golding has issued a stern warning to state agencies currently benefiting from budgetary support.

At Tuesday's sitting of the Standing Finance Committee Mr. Golding noted that he has already put some agencies on notice that they will be weaned from public funding.

Mr. Golding said the Real Estate Board which has been allocated just over $41 million in the 2009-2010 Estimates of Expenditure is on the list.

"I instructed them recently that they have to become self-sustaining. They have introduced new fees that would take them some way to that and I told them as of next year they are off the budget, so this year is a transitional year," said Mr. Golding.

&quot;It is a direction that has been given to a number of agencies. <span style="font-weight: bold">I don't think that taxpayers should be coughing up money to regulate the granting of firearm licenses and yet there is still a provision in the budget, a significant provision for the Firearm Licensing Authority,&quot; he said.</span>

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Some state agencies to be weaned from public funding

If they were issueing fire arm lisences in an equitable manner, they would have issyed enough to allow the agency to function without goivernment subsudy.

Why should the people who are discrininated against in the issueing if frrearms,be subsidizing those who are gettung theirs?
They will solve many problems by correcting the wrongs of discriminating against Black Jamaicans in the issueing of these lisences.
It will reduce the heen for taxes to subsidize the ahency.

It will reduce the incidences of crimes involving illegal guns.

It will reduce the need for expensive provate securoty giards.

It will reduce the need for additional police officers. Since

it will reduce the incidence of crimes. It will increase the safety treshold of the country.

allowing businesses to be carried out during later hours, in locations that is now prohibitive.
it will allow down town to retirn to the thriving business area it use to be,
increase the value of a lot of property that due to gun crimes has been blighted to the point wher eit has no vaoue.

It will increase employment by making the country safer.
Why does it me to see all this.
where are the people who are incharge of making sure the country is prosperous?

i have a feeling that proeperity for the country has never been a goal for thoise in position to do so. only personal wealth.

Well you can achievee wealth, but no person who have to live behind a wall with metal bars ans security can achieve proeperoty.

That is simply a glirified prison,complete with bars and guards.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Government to hike gun licensing fees

Government to hike gun licensing fees
Thursday, 16 April 2009
The Government has announced that it will be hiking gun licensing fees.

The tax increase will affect approximately 35,000 persons who are licensed firearm holders in Jamaica.

Minister of National Security Senator Dwight Nelson, who announced plans for the increase in Parliament on Wednesday, said the new fees will be used to offset the administrative expenses of the Firearms Licensing Authority.

However, Senator Nelson did not indicate the rate of increase.

It currently costs $6,000 annually to renew a gun license.

Finance Minister Audley Shaw is expected to provide details when he makes his Budget Presentation next week.

Senator Nelson says the increase has become necessary as the Firearms Licensing Authority is to become a self financing entity.

&quot;The new rates have been approved and the increased funds arising from the new rates will be expected to offset the operating cost of the Authority,&quot; said Senator Nelson.

The budget for the Firearms Licensing Authority has been slashed from $208 million in 2008/2009 to $173 million this financial year.

In the meantime, it has also been announced that the licensing system is to be changed.

Firearm holders will now be required to renew their licenses on their birthday instead of April 1 as now exists.

And the National Gun Rights Association is upset at the decision to hike firearm fees.

President of the Association, Sean John, said the move is a step in the wrong direction especially in light of the country's high crime rate.

&quot;The idea that someone has a firearm license as a privilege has to get out of the mindset of the political directorate. It is not a privilege for someone to have a firearm. People have a firearm to protect their lives and property,&quot;

&quot;They have gone about to set up a bureaucracy that is costing the country millions of dollars prior to that the police had the responsibility to issue firearm licenses it did not cost the government anything extra,&quot; said Mr. John.

He is calling for the Firearm Licensing Authority to be disbanded and its responsibilities returned to the police

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Government to hike gun licensing fees

Whe other taxes are raised on those owning guns, they say to cast th enet wider and get every one that should pay in it.
Well about casting the net wider now instead of chatfing as much as ut cost to buy soem forearms abroad, to lisences them annially??
The gun rights people don't even see, the openning.
They are cpmplaining. Jamaicans at home still have not displayed the abillity to use everything comming their way as a tool to achieve their ends.
Listen people life is like a game of cards you have to ise wehat you get to winn.

stop complaining and prove that you are able to use what you have. So the givernment need more money, and at the same time ther is a dure need to reduce the crime rate.

Put your case to prove that every other jurisdiction it is the citozens are the first line of civil law. and you can't achieve civil law unless youi have a real deterrent.

deterrents does not exist in issuing a small and visible minority with legal firearms.
neither is it possioble with inly a small ninoroty in any demography.

the criminals are intelligent enough to gio after th eweakest link. If the majoroty of th efront line is the weakest link, they will be encourage to follow a life of crime.

since These criminals know that ther is a slom probabillity that tth eperson they victimizes, is weak. they will also bemore easily identify the few armed ones and isolate them and take theor weapons.
unarming a citizen can only happen in a situation wher the majorpoty is unarmed. just as unarming a police offier is only possible when he is outnumbered, by armed thugs.

Continuing thius colonial policy of keeping the majioroty of the black populatiin while arming the white and oither minoroty is the reasdon for this high murder rate.
every other jurisdictiion wher th emurder rate is thst high as a similar gun policy
It is nioot rocket science.