Senator Peter Bunting is facing scrutiny for his decision to retain his executive post in the PNP. He opted to instead defend his stance by providing his full response pertaining to the issuance of firearm licenses to applicants x50 and x51 as mentioned in the recent integrity commission report.
He hopes this response will assist the public in distilling the facts of the cases. The Shadow Minister of National Security, is steadfast in his stance concerning the issuing of firearm licenses to persons referred to as x50 and x51. In a statement on Monday bunting notes that important parts of his submission relating to the role of the firearm review board were omitted from the integrity commission’s report. Dating back to January 2011, it was revealed that person x50 was arrested and charged in the US for the offences of trafficking cocaine, four (4) counts of larceny and grand theft in the third degree. His license was revoked in 2012, deemed unfit by the FLA.
However, after x50’s record was expunged in 2014, he was issued a firearm user license after the board’s decision was overturned by the firearm review board. The board comprised a retired court of appeal judge, a retiree Supreme Court Judge and a leading Queen’s Council. Bunting says the review board, in its findings and recommendations, decided that it was unable to agree with the FLA’s decision because it had no evidence of the nature of misrepresentation allegedly perpetrated by person x50. In relation to applicant x51, it was revealed that the applicant molested a little girl who is related to his wife. However, the matter was not reported to the police and therefore no action was taken against the applicant.
Bunting accepted the recommendation to reject the application for a personal license but granted an employee’s firearm permit only, since reports indicated that the applicant was of good character and appropriate temperament. Upon reviewing this response the youth arm of the JLP maintains that bunting should resign pending investigation.
