News

Sunday 11^th August marked the end of the National Gun Amnesty Campaign that was hosted by the RCIPS. The Campaign, which was initially scheduled for the entire month of July, was extended an additional 11 days to provide persons further opportunities to turn in any illegal guns and ammunition using the four options made available to them.

“The RCIPS partnered with members of the community to ensure that the opportunity for the gun amnesty was widely publicised and known by all,” says Chief Superintendent Brad Ebanks. “While the hand-ins were considerably less than we hoped for, considering that we know that there is a significant number of illegal guns in our communities, it is important that we acknowledge and thank the brave few who did come forward; you’ve helped to make the Cayman Islands Safer.”

The RCIPS would like to thank all those members of the community who participated in the National Gun Amnesty with the hopes of reducing gun violence and eradicating illegal guns from the Cayman Islands. Their desire to assist with the campaign was borne out of their personal interest in making their communities and the people who live in them safer. These persons include but are not limited to:

• The Cayman Pastor’s Association, including members in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac; Pr. Torrance Bobb, Pr. Andrew Ebanks, Pr. Alson Ebanks, Pr. Chris Mason, Pr. Kyle McLean, Pr. Mitch Exctain, Pr. Garett Haylock, Pr. Ken Smith, Pr. Winston Rose, Pr. Rohan Forrester, Pr. Justin French, and Pr. Tom French and Dr. Sylvia Wilks.

• Trusted Persons in our community; Mr. Dale Ramoon, Ms. Dorline Welcome, Ms. Kattina Anglin, Ms. Vanda Powery, Mr. Joey Woods, Mr. Davis Scott and Mr. Arden McLean.

• Ambassadors – H.E. the Governor Jane Owen, Hon. Minister Kenneth Bryan, Hon. Minister Katherine Wilks, Hon. Minister Jay Ebanks, Hon. Min Isaac Rankine, MP Joey Hew (Elected Member for GT North), Ileann Powery (Miss Cayman Islands 2023-2024) , President Alfredo Whittaker and the Cayman Islands Football Association, Director of the Department of Tourism Ms. Rosa Harris, Assistant Director of Customs and Border Control Mr. Phillip West, the cast of Secrets in Paradise Grand Cayman, the young footballer from the West Bay community and the police officers who supported the initiative throughout the duration of the campaign.

• Members of the Media - @Everythin345, High Impact Media, Radio Cayman, Islands FM and Compass Media, Cayman Marl Road, Cayman News Service.

Your contribution to this campaign showed a level of national pride and care for our country that goes unmatched and your support and partnership has been invaluable.

At the end of the campaign, four firearms, over 2800 rounds of ammunition, one ballistic vest, two spearguns with additional spears, along with one flare gun and one paintball gun were surrendered to the police. To protect the anonymity of the persons who turned in guns, ammunition and other restricted weapons and items, the RCIPS will not be publishing photos of what was surrendered to the police.

Chief Superintendent Ebanks concludes, “Now that the National Gun Amnesty has concluded, we will continue our policing efforts to locate illegal guns and prosecute those who insist on being in possession of illegal guns.”