Maroon Queen Demands More Gun Licences For Women As Crime Surges

Reggae artist Maroon Queen a.k.a Black Queen believes that the Firearm Licensing Authority in Jamaica should make a concerted effort to reach out to qualified and interested females to apply for gun licences, given the surging crime levels in the island.

“Gun licences should be easier for women to access in Jamaica. The only persons with easy access to guns are criminals,” Maroon Queen suggested.

“There are so many things happening that lead to the endangerment of women, domestic violence, robberies, home invasions…that’s why women should be trained to defend themselves, especially with the surge in crime in Jamaica.”

Statistics provided by the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) indicate that in the last five years more than half of women applicants were granted firearm licences.
FLA maintains that there is no bias against women in the granting of licences, the entity recently disclosed that 57.5 per cent or 898 of the 1,560 female applicants over the past five years were granted firearm licences.

The entity noted, however, that far more men, 16,997, applied over the same period, with 7,380 receiving permits and 9,617 being denied.

Black Queen that this disparity must be addressed.

“The FLA should do a special outreach to female business owners to get gun licences and offer seminars and training, even self-defence classes so that women can know how to navigate, acquire self control and properly defend themselves,” she said.

Two years ago, Maroon Queen had to make several police reports after extortionists in her communities attempted to intimidate her. Last week, her husband’s vehicle was stolen.

“I understand that Jamaica has become a dangerous place. I have almost been a victim of extortionists. I was robbed the other day, and I couldn’t prevent that from happening. Criminals have way too much power in this country, they can take our lives at a whim,” Maroon Queen, whose given name is Semonie Giles, said.

According to statistics provided by the United Nations, Jamaican women are second on the list of women who are intentionally killed every year. Topping the U.N-compiled list of “intentional homicides, female” was El Salvador with 13.9 homicides per 100,000 women murdered, while Jamaica had 11 per 100,000 in the year 2017. The Central African Republic was third.

According to FLA Chairman Colonel Audley Carter, what exists is a rigorous, intense and extremely careful system that determines who should be given or denied a gun permit. Colonel Carter said the board which he leads comprises individuals of unquestionable integrity.

Maroon Queen, who is known for the song, ‘Black and Proud’, believes that community policing is the way forward to develop trust and confidence in the police force.

“Only if citizens team up with the police force to get rid of criminals from our communities will we see a change. Women need to be armed, men need to be armed, we need to take back our communities,” she said.

Black Queen is hosting a show dubbed ‘All Females Invasion’ on May 1 which will feature performances from D’Angel, Sassy Diva, Klymaxx and Black Queen herself.
The show will be held at the Rio Nuevo resort.

“I am using this event on Mother’s Day as a platform to heighten awareness of violence against women,” she said.