-6.
Firearms and Ammunition (Amendment) Bill
The Government is seeking to amend the Firearms and Ammunition Ordinance in order to improve the safe use of licensed firearms, a Government spokesman said today (Friday).
The Firearms and Ammunition (Amendment) Bill 1996, gazetted today, will tighten the law and licensing arrangements regulating the possession of, and dealing in, firearms and ammunition.
The spokesman said that an inter-departmental working group had made recommendations which covered the regulation of shooting clubs, holders of arms licences, arms dealers, air guns, deactivated firearms and the use of modified firearms for film production.
"Some of the recommendations will be implemented by the amendments proposed in the Bill, and others by administrative measures," he said.
"The Bill has also taken into account the views expressed in the consultation exercise on the review of the firearms law and the licensing policy held from January 25 to February 24 this year," he added.
The Bill proposes to regulate all shooting clubs under licences for possession of firearms.
"The licence is to be held by a responsible officer of the club. The officer and the club shall comply with their respective licence conditions.
"To ensure safety, tighter licence conditions will be imposed on the clubs to regulate the conduct of the club in the possession and use of firearms and ammunition and the running of its range, armoury or other facilities," the spokesman said.
He said that before members of shooting clubs could be exempted from the licensing requirement under the Firearms and Ammunition Ordinance, they would be required to complete a course on the safe handling of firearms under the supervision of an arms instructor, whose appointment needs to be approved by the Commissioner of Police.
"The appointment of an agent or a servant of a licensee will be subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Police.