COUNCILLOR GETS BACKLASH AFTER POSING WITH AK-47
Councillor for the Welcome Hall Division in St James, Gregory Wint, who was pictured holding a high-powered rifle that was found in a gully after flood rains in Montego Bay last Wednesday, is adamant that he did not pose with the weapon for a photo opportunity.
“I held the gun in the safest way that I could because the gun was loaded,” said Wint, who is a licensed firearm holder.
He argues that the criticism that he has been getting are from persons with a political bias.
“All who are talking about the picture are being political, on the opposite side. They are the ones that are complaining but come on, I was just taking a gun off the street,” he told THE STAR.
Wint explained that he was among a group of workmen, and, being the most senior person on the scene, took it upon himself to turn in the weapon when the discovery was made in the North Gully.
“The tractor was there working when the guy [driver] saw something and sent me to investigate and that was when I discovered it. By the time I discovered it, the police were on their way there because they were in close vicinity. I acknowledged the police and they came down there and took it over,” he said.
And he is adamant that at no time did he pose with the weapon, although he has seen the picture that has caused the controversy.
“All those pictures that you have seen, I got them also. I know I did the right thing and handed over a firearm. It is from where I picked it up and walking towards the police that they took that picture. At the same time that I found it and was bringing it to the police, the people were doing the picturing and videoing,” he explained.
He said that when the gun was handed over, the officers commended him for his actions.