Justice Minister, Delroy Chuck, says the government is open to reviewing aspects of the Firearms Act.

But he’s adamant about upholding the strictness of the legislation.

A day after discussing the issue with members of the legal fraternity, Minister Chuck told Justices of the Peace in St Ann on Friday that the fundamental principles of the Act remain necessary to curb crime.

Mahiri Stewart has that story.

Justice Minister met with members of the Jamaican Bar Association and Advocates’ Association of Jamaica on Thursday, a day after some of their members staged a silent protest at the Supreme Court calling for a review of the mandatory 15-year sentence for firearm offences.

On Friday, Delroy Chuck revealed details of his meeting while speaking during an Alternative Dispute Resolution Policy Development and Estate Planning Forum in St. Ann.

Chuck says despite his past tenure as a defence attorney, his current role as the Justice Minister requires him to take multiple points of view on legislation into consideration.

The minister credits the Firearms Act, among other legislation, with empowering the police in getting gun cases before the courts.

Delroy Chuck, Justice Minister.