Moves to restore confidence in FLA under way

The Government is moving to restore public confidence in the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) following the recent Integrity Commission report probing alleged corruption, irregularities, and storage issues at the entity.

Minister of National Security and Peace, Dr Horace Chang, has insisted that the focus now is on correction and reform rather than panic or speculation, stressing that the Government remains committed to transparency even as it defends the integrity of the institution. 

The report, which was presented to the FLA in March, reportedly examined allegations of corruption, impropriety, and irregularities linked to firearm storage and the awarding of licences. While the findings have generated public debate, the national security ministry has underscored that the matter must be properly assessed within context.

“I was made aware by the Authority of a report prepared by the Integrity Commission in March 2026, and allowed that process to run its course, at the risk of any statements made or actions taken being viewed as an attempt to interfere,” said Chang, who stressed that the Integrity Commission remains central to governance and accountability.

At the centre of the controversy are claims about storage conditions and accountability systems within the FLA. However, the ministry has pushed back strongly against suggestions of systemic collapse or missing weapons. Chang said he was informed that the Integrity Commission found no basis for criminal charges and no evidence that firearms were missing from the Authority’s main vault. From ministry-led inspections, officials reported that while storage capacity challenges exist, systems were in place to account for all firearms and ammunition in custody. The Government is now exploring expansion and relocation plans, including a modern purpose-built facility and upgrades to destruction equipment, including a hydraulic shredder for forfeited weapons.

“The ministry is ensuring that the leadership of the FLA is of the highest level of integrity,” Chang stated, as he reaffirmed confidence in the current CEO Shane Dalling, the Board led by Justice (Ret’d) Glenworth Brown, and past leadership teams.

The ministry also pointed to long-term reforms at the FLA since 2017, including tighter vetting systems, improved application processes, auditing of ranges, and destruction of unused firearms as part of an ongoing clean-up exercise. Chang argued that the institution has not been operating in isolation from oversight or accountability, noting that the FLA’s records have repeatedly stood up in court proceedings and contributed to successful prosecutions.

He said allegations must not be treated as conclusions.

“The allegations were published but investigations should determine if there are discrepancies,” he noted, stressing that due process must guide public understanding of the findings.

The ministry has now ordered a further full review of the FLA’s systems in light of the Integrity Commission report, including inventory management, accountability structures, and operational controls.