National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang has indicated that since 2017, several operational reforms have already been effected at the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA).

The reforms include, policy shifts relating to granting of licences upon review and the involvement of the portfolio minister.

Dr. Chang’s comments follow calls for reform, in the wake of the publication of the report from the Integrity Commission, on its probe into allegations of corruption at the FLA.

Publication of the report came 5 years after the probe and implementation of the reforms.

The commission’s probe of the FLA covered the period 2012 to 2018; the reforms, aimed at correcting the irregularities and deficiencies, began in 2017.

Speaking during today’s meeting of the joint select committee perusing the new firearms prohibition, restriction and regulations act, Dr. Chang said many of the corrective measures will be codified in the new legislation.

Dr. Chang said following the change of the board of the FLA in 2017, several policy changes have been implemented.

There have also been significant ministerial shifts, in that the minister of national security no longer reviews the recommendation of the review board.

Dr. Chang added that administrative processes have been put in place at the FLA to prevent the kind of errors and deficiencies outlined in the Integrity Commission’s report.