Licensed gun owners here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines will have to dig deeper in their pockets when paying their annual gun license fee.
A 100% increase on certain categories of gun licenses, including revolvers and pistols was among the new revenue measures announced in the 2016 National Budget, presented in Parliament last week.
Minister of Transport, Works, Urban Development and Local Government Senator Julian Francis, during his contribution to the budgetary debate said the increase still leaves the licenses at a cost gun owners can afford.
Minister Francis noted that the Government has built a gun range at Arnos Vale at a cost of $2.5 million, and to get a gun license a person has to do target practice and pass a test, and many persons have done that.
He said many persons have even joined the Firearms Association which allows them to use the range for regular target practice, and that cost money.
