Antigua and Barbuda to Introduce New Prosecutorial Tools to Cut Criminal Case Delays
Antigua and Barbuda will introduce new prosecutorial tools aimed at reducing delays in criminal cases, Attorney General Sir Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin told Parliament during his contribution to the 2026 Budget Debate.
Addressing long-standing backlogs in the courts, Sir Steadroy said the government will rely on plea bargaining and the Voluntary Bill of Indictment Act to move cases more quickly through the justice system.
“One thing we’re going to do … is look at the Voluntary Bill of Indictment Act,” the Attorney General said. “This is a modern-day legislation. It directly confronts delays in cases.”
He explained that the measure allows prosecutors to avoid outdated procedures that often slow cases in the lower courts.
“So in an appropriate case, the DPP can bypass the outdated processes and direct the matter straight to the court,” Sir Steadroy told the House .
The Attorney General also confirmed that plea bargaining will be actively used as part of the strategy to speed up criminal proceedings.
“We also [are] looking at plea bargaining,” he said. “This speeds up the process, so we shall believe that as well.”
Sir Steadroy said the measures form part of a broader effort to ensure that criminal matters reach the High Court faster and are disposed of more efficiently, reducing the burden on the courts and shortening the time accused persons spend awaiting trial.
He told MPs that the government is determined to address systemic delays that undermine confidence in the justice system, noting that justice must be both timely and effective.
The Attorney General said these changes will be pursued during 2026 as part of the Legal Affairs Ministry’s agenda to modernise criminal procedure and improve court efficiency under the national budget .
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Now that this man is washed up and past his prime heading for the back door all of a sudden he’s coming up with all sorts of ideas. That’s what happen when fat melts from the brain
You forgot strict timeline for a case to be disposed of in the ordinary course or else the matter is dismissed for speedy trial violation. Simple matters should be dealt with in about 1 months (with defendant having the right to an adjournment)
Perhaps giving the police and prosecutor some administrative hearing power (who can simply and internally negotiate monetary settlement as a fine to close an investigation/prosecution). Only pertaining to minor offenses.
This should be considered when there are competent and just folks in those departments and they shall only be for minor offenses. I would have to analyze this recommendation some more, mainly because I fear it would be abused by the police and prosecutor.
Too much viagra and hair dye!
Yes great ideas Cutie. You are definitely on to something, but here is the problem.
This administration cannot be trusted with the peoples affairs anymore, especially these serious ones as crimes, because you have shown in the past that you cannot be trusted over and over again.
This entire thing must be stripped down and start from scratch, with new people in the correct positions to overseer these very important things that your are trying to implement..not you cutie, hell no.
Manny was gunned down, nothing, the Kaleel kid was gunned down, nothing, many across Antigua are missing, nothing, murderers and rapist have not been prosecuted or were simply let go, nothing, a 16 year old killed a grown man and only got 3 years, but instead of you going before parliament and fight to repeal those old outdated laws, nothing, $millons were stolen in the car scandal, and all now we see no action from you, so again, nothing.
So great ideas Cutie, I give you that, but for you and GB to be leading us to a new and brighter Future, hell no.
WE DON’T TRUST YOU CUTIE!
So we say, HELL NO!
WHAT THE HELL…! …PLEA BARGAINING? …VOLUNTARY INDICTMENT?
…DEPUTY DPP SHANNON JONES-GITTENS ALREADY ‘…FOLLOW SHANNON CATS.’
***
FRIEND OR FOE
Be they:
(a) ‘…STUPID: or
(b) …CROOKED: or
(c) …WICKED.’
***
OH LAWD: …CONVICTIONAL DETRIMENT
From professional knowledge: experience: application: and conformity with:
(i) ‘…THE JUDGES RULES: and
(ii) …THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE THAT STATES ‘…HE WHO ASSERTS MUST PROVE:’
seeking parliamentary approval in:
(a) …INDUCING: or
(b) …COERCING: or
(c) …COAXING: or
(d) …URGING:’ an
ACCUSED PERSON TO ACT TO HIS/HER ‘…CONVICTIONAL DETRIMENT.’
***
PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE:
IN EFFECT, THEY WILL HAVE BEEN DENIED THE CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEE OF THE RIGHT TO THE ‘…PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE’ [CO: 1981: Section 15].
***
D/DPP SHANNON JONES-GITTENS: …CATS LET-OUT-OF-BAG
***
NOW:
(i) ‘…TRIAL DELAYS: and
(ii) …ADJOURNMENTS,’ SEEMED TO BE OCCURRING THAN THE RAIN WAS FALLING.
***
These could never be eliminated by:
(a) …PLEA BARGAINS: nor
(b) …VOLUNTEER INDICTMENT OF THE ‘PRESUMED INNOCENT ACCUSED.”
***
SO, FOLLOW ‘…SHANNON CATS’
Now, the ‘…JUSTICE MINISTER,’ SHALL ‘…FOLLOW THE CATS,’ THAT THE ‘…DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS HAD REPORTEDLY LET OUT OF THE ‘…BAG.’
(i) ‘…PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COURT ROOMS:
(ii) …APPOINT MORE ‘…COUNSELS FOR THE CROWN: and
(iii) …APPOINT MORE ‘…CRIMINAL JUDGES FOR THE ASSIZES.’
***
FREE ADVICE: …NOT EVEN FOR EC$5.00
NOT EVEN FOR ‘…EC$5. 00’ DO NOT PAY NO DARN ‘…DUNCY ATTORNEYS’ TO ADVISE YOU: to
(i) ‘…CONVICT YOURSELVES: by
(ii) …PLEADING GUILTY: or
(iii) …ENTER PLE BARGAINS FOR ‘…LIGHT SENTENCING.’
***
MORE ADVANTAGEOUS – MOST DISADVANTAGEOUS
That which ‘…EVERY ACCUSED ‘…MAN AND WOMAN,’ must know:
(a) ‘…IT IS ‘…MORE FAVORABLE’ AND ‘…MOST ADVANTAGEOUS,’ TO THE PROSECUTION:
(b) …MOST UNFAVORABLE AND ‘…MOST DISADVANTAGEOUS TO AN ACCUSED PERSON, FOOLISHLY: entering
(i) ‘…GUILTY PLEAS: and
(ii) …VOLUNTEERING TO BE INDICTED BY ‘…COMMITTAL MAGISTRATES.’
***
LET THEM AS WELL DO THEIR DARN WORK.
***
ATTORNEYS ARE ‘…FEED’ (Paid Fees) TO ‘…DEFEND CLIENTS:
MAGISTRATES ARE ‘…SALARIED’ TO ‘ …COMMIT OR DISMISS CHARGES.’
***
NONE SHALL OBTAIN A ‘…FEE OR SALARY:’ ‘…UNDER FALSE PRETENCES.’
FOR THIS TOO, IS A ‘…SERIOUS CRIMINAL OFFENCE.’
***
WHAT THE HELL…!
***
THAT HAS NEVER BEEN THE WAY:
(a) ‘…THE CONSTITUTION ORDER INTENDED: or
(b) …THE ‘…ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE:’
(a) ‘…WORKS: or
(b) …SHALL WORK.’
***
TAKING HEED: …TAKE WARNING
***
(i) ‘…ALL ACCUSED PERSONS: and
(ii) …ALL PARLIAMENTARIANS.’
***
WHO WISH TO ‘…SCREW-UP: …LET HIM/HER SCREW-UP.
***
WALK GOOD.
***
Those so positioned themselves shall know:
(i) ‘…THE CONSTITUTION ORDER HAS ‘…AN ENSHRINEMENT IN IT:
(ii) …THAT PERSONS ACCUSED OF CRIME, ENJOY,THE RIGHT: to
(a) …THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE: unless
(b) …TRIED BY JUDGE AND JURY: or
(c) …VOLUNTARILY PLEAD GUILTY:
‘…FRIEND OR FOE, would not be arguing with ‘…ANY PARLIAMENTARIAN
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