BASSETERRE, St. Kitts -- THE Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is sending a strong and unequivocal message to offenders that larceny and gun-related crimes will not be tolerated.
During Thursday’s sitting of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew led the second reading and debate of the Larceny (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which proposes stiffer penalties for larceny—especially when committed using firearms.
Dr. Drew described the move as a necessary correction to a flaw in the current legislation, which he said creates a sentencing imbalance.
The prime minister explained that under the law passed last year, someone caught with an unlicensed automatic firearm can face up to 40 years in prison. Yet, if that same weapon is used in a violent robbery or other criminal act, the maximum penalty is capped at 20 years.
“It is obvious that this needs to be corrected—or rather, amended,” he added.
The proposed changes to Section 31 of the Larceny Act aim to introduce a tiered sentencing framework based on the level of violence, the use of weapons, and the threat posed during the commission of the crime.
"It ensures that our justice system treats robbery with firearms with the severity it demands and that sentencing is consistent with our broader reforms under the Firearms Act," Dr. Drew stated.
Tourism Minister and Attorney-at-Law Marsha Henderson threw her support behind the bill, noting that sentencing must reflect the nature and seriousness of the offence.
"The court rightly applies different penalties depending on how dangerous or traumatic the robbery was, whether weapons were used, whether people were injured, and the degree of planning involved," she said. "This tiered approach is plainly logical and necessary. It recognises degrees of blameworthiness while still holding every offender accountable."
Proposed Sentencing Framework under the amendments:
- Robbery with a firearm: life imprisonment with hard labour (defined as 50 years)
- Robbery with another offensive weapon: up to 40 years
- Robbery with accomplices: up to 35 years
- Robbery involving personal violence: up to 30 years
- Robbery without aggravating factors: up to 20 years
- Assault with intent to rob: up to 15 years
The bill also updates the definition of "firearm" to include imitation firearms, as well as restricted and prohibited weapons, in line with the revised Firearms Act, CAP 1905.
According to the government, the amendments aim to harmonise local sentencing with regional standards and international human rights obligations, while aligning with the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court’s sentencing guidelines.
"Robbery is not a victimless crime. It shatters lives. It can destroy confidence,” Dr. Drew said. “It can sow fear in communities and have long-lasting psychological effects, such as PTSD, anxiety, and more."
He stressed that while punishment alone cannot eliminate crime, it plays "a vital role in shaping conduct by raising the cost of offending and reinforcing boundaries of acceptable behaviour in our communities and in our society”.
The National Assembly was still debating the bill at the time of publication.
