Government Senator, Abka Fitz-Henley, says any perceived or substantive effort to diminish the strength of the Firearms Act should be strongly resisted.

He says a removal of the mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years being advocated for by some attorneys would represent a weakening of the legislation.

Senator Fitz-Henley’s comments follow Wednesday’s silent protest by lawyers at the Supreme Court in downtown, Kingston.

The lawyers are calling for a review of the Act’s mandatory sentencing provisions, which they argue limit judicial discretion.

A meeting has since been held with Justice Minister, Delroy Chuck, and representatives of the Jamaican Bar Association and the Advocates’ Association of Jamaica.

Minister Chuck says the attorneys have committed to submitting joint proposals for amendments to the Act by early next week.

Senator Fitz-Henley says the revised Firearms Act has assisted in reducing the number of gun-related cases in the Court.

Abka Fitz-Henley, Government Senator.