Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter
HECKLING AND heated debates have become hallmarks of politically explosive parish council meetings and proposals for a gun ban have again stirred up a firestorm.
Last week, Milton Brown, Mayor of May Pen, revealed that he was moving to stop Clarendon parish councillors from taking their licensed firearms to meetings. His decision came after two People's National Party (PNP) councillors had a heated verbal exchange, during a closed sitting of the council's Roads and Works Committee.
Bobby Montague, Mayor of Port Maria said his council had already instituted the ban.
PROACTIVE MEASURE
"We have a gun ban. It was instituted in 2004," Mayor Montague told The Gleaner yesterday. He explained that the ban had to be implemented because there was a particular councillor, who is the holder of a licensed firearm, who was getting a little carried away in the meetings.
Although no weapons have come into play, Mayor Montague said the gun prohibition was a proactive measure.
The Port Maria Mayor revealed that councillors are advised "not to bring their guns to town". But, in the event that it was unavoidable, arrangements have been made with the police divisional headquarters in the parish.
However, Lee Clarke, deputy mayor of Kingston, said that imposing a gun ban on councillors of the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) is not necessary. "We are mature people, we don't expect that at the KSAC," he said. The deputy mayor argued that if the country saw it fit to grant them gun licences, councillors should act in a manner befitting of that trust.
