The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation to allow members of the public to use pepper spray for personal protection.
Following the lead of the Senate last month, the House unanimously passed the Firearms (Amendment) Bill 2021, piloted by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi who hoped it would give the vulnerable “a fighting chance” against predatory criminals.
The House passed the bill without amendment from the Senate and without any need for proclamation by the President of the Republic.
Al-Rawi said, in the past five years, Trinidad and Tobago had 2,537 reports of rape and sexual assault.
He said pepper spray is designed to cause a disruption to the eyes, to breathing, so that you have a fighting chance but this weapon in the wrong hands has been the balance we have had to achieve.” He warned the device could be used as an offensive weapon in the wrong hands.
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