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The establishment of two gun courts on the island will reduce the backlog of firearm-related cases and deal with present cases from January to the present day.
That’s according to Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley.
He says already there are nearly 700 cases awaiting prosecution.
Minister Lashley was speaking as he led off debate in the Senate today on the Supreme Court of Judicature (Amendment) Bill, 2026, where he noted that Barbados will join Jamaica and The Bahamas as the only regional territories that have established gun courts.
Minister Lashley says of the 27 murders committed so far this year, 23 have involved the use of a firearm.
Additionally, Minister Lashley says from January until now, the Barbados Police Service has been able to remove 51 illegal guns from the nation’s streets.
He says the removal of those illegal firearms means there are cases to be fast-tracked and tried.
