JAMAICA | Montague resigns days after damning gun licencing report

KINGSTON, Jamaica March 12, 2022 - Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, in the Office of the Prime Minister, Robert Montague, has resigned from the Andrew Holness Cabinet with immediate effect.

Montague handed in his resignation to Holness late Friday, days after an Integrity Commission report stated that he allowed six people of questionable character to be issued with firearms licenses while he was national security minister.

A terse statement from Prime Minister Andrew Holness late Friday night said: “ Late this evening, I met with Minister Robert Montague who tendered his resignation with immediate effect.

Minister Montague expressed that it was a privilege to have had the “opportunity to serve at the highest levels in government”.

While no reason has been given for the resignation, it comes days after a damning Integrity Commission report on the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) in which the commission pointed to six instances in which Montague overruled the Firearm Licensing Authority and approved gun permits to persons with criminal traces whose applications were either denied or their licences revoked while he was National Security Minister from March 2016 to 2018.

The revelations are contained in a 245-page special investigation report on how the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) gave gun permits to persons convicted of, or charged with, various criminal offences involving drugs, lottery scamming, and illegal possession of firearms.

“It is the DI's opinion that the Hon. Robert Montague, MP, was aware of the criminal antecedents of applicants when he granted the appeal of FLA board decisions concerning certain firearm user licence applications,” the report said in reference to director of investigation.  

As Minister with responsibility for the FLA, Legislation gave Montague the power to recommend permits, whether entirely of his own volition, or on the recommendation of a review board.  

In a statement Thursday, Montague slammed the report as “grossly misrepresentative”: 

“I take note of the report tabled by the Integrity Commission in the House of Representatives concerning my then fulfillment of my statutory duty to assess and make a decision on the issuance of gun licenses to a range of people who appealed having been initially denied.

“The report is grossly misrepresentative and incomplete.

“It is unfortunate that prior to the tabling of the report, despite a suggestion made to me that I'd be given the courtesy, I was not fully given the opportunity to respond to that which the commission sought to assert as "facts".

“Every Jamaican citizen regardless of their station or status in society deserves to be afforded the full courtesy of natural justice. Every citizen has a right to be heard or to respond to accusations. This due process was not fully afforded to me.

The report also fails to take into consideration that all my actions concerning the referenced issue were informed and guided by the recommendation of a panel of experts which I had tasked with assisting in assessing appeals made to me in my capacity as Minister of Security.

Despite the fact that the Integrity Commission report contained no adverse legal recommendations concerning me because I carried out my statutory function, I have referred the report to my lawyers for further review.”

 The Member of Parliament for Western St. Mary, Robert Montague was elected to the powerful post as chairman of the JLP party  in 2012.

Shortly after the Labour Party won the 2016 General Elections, he was appointed the country’s National Security Minister, but was shifted to the Ministry of Transport and Works in 2018 after a controversy developed involving the botched procurement of used cars for the police. 

In his new ministry, Montague was plagued by yet another series of scandals including the 2021 scandals involving the Airports Authority of Jamaica investment in the private equity firm First Rock Capital Holdings and the Clarendon Alumina Production Limited.

In January, Holness stripped Montague of the transport and mining ministry and reassigned him as a minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation in the Office of the Prime Minister.   

It is not known if Mr. Montague will resign as Chairman of the JLP.