Recent comments by Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne regarding the judiciary’s handling of gun-related offenses have sparked controversy in Antigua and Barbuda.
In a social media post last week, Browne criticized judges and magistrates for their approach to granting bail and sentencing in gun-related cases.
In a strongly worded response to Browne’s comments on the Judiciary, attorney-at-law Justin Simon KC., penned a letter challenging the Prime Minister’s stance and redirecting attention to what he believed was the root cause of rising gun violence in Antigua and Barbuda.
Simon, who is the country’s former Attorney General, began by asserting the importance of judicial independence, stating, “Given the recognized constitutional fact that the Judiciary is the third and only independent branch of government, it is more than troubling to hear the Prime Minister publicly castigate the Judiciary, an institution that must always remain and be seen to be impartial and free from political interference to function effectively.”
The attorney argued that the Prime Minister’s criticism of judges and magistrates regarding bail and sentencing in gun-related offenses was not only misguided but also factually incorrect. He emphasized that the real issue at hand was “the alarming influx of illegal firearms into our nation.”
Simon pointed out that the proliferation of guns in Antiguan communities was not due to judicial leniency but rather “a direct consequence of inadequate border security, whether at the seaports, along the coastline, and at the international airport.”
He called for a redirection of government efforts towards strengthening border control measures and allocating more resources to customs and border security.
He also highlighted a concerning trend in gun-related offenses: “a recent review of bail cases involving gun-related offences has revealed a concerning trend: the majority of those accused are juveniles.” Simon explained that the lack of appropriate juvenile detention facilities often forced judges and magistrates to grant bail to young offenders rather than remanding them to adult prisons.
In a direct challenge to the government, Simon stated, “By wrongfully focusing on the Judiciary, the Prime Minister risks distracting from the real cause of our growing unlawful use of firearms. The courts can only adjudicate the cases that come before them; they cannot stop guns from entering the country. That responsibility lies squarely with the government.”
The attorney also raised concerns about the Prime Minister’s public criticism of a young man who was questioned but not charged in connection with a recent shooting incident. Simon argued that such comments “not only jeopardizes the integrity of the legal process but also raises serious concerns about the influence of political leaders on the justice system.”
In conclusion, Simon called for a collaborative effort to address the root causes of gun violence: “Rather than attacking the Judiciary, let us work together to secure our borders, create rehabilitative environments for those already influenced and affected, maintain skill-set training at our educational establishments, and protect our citizens from the scourge of unwanted firearms illegally entering the country.”
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this Privy Council LOSER LAWYER is a joke!!!! How much money did Barbuda Council spend on that whole embaRASSing case?????
Loser Lawyer appears to have overestimated his importance in Wadadlian society.
“Never Ready”
“Not Ready”
yeah Antigua people don’t forget about your “legacy” as their AG.
jokes on you!
@ pringle need fu get back a kindergarten cause me a tell u he real slow
The Privy Council LOSER LAWYER that you CALF and you MOOMA UPSET up to now that Justin mek Gaston Brown and Michael Brown fork out nearly $4,000,000.00 out of tax payers money and cause Gisele to win her case?
DAT A BUN R U NOW HELL- all these frivolous cases brought against opposition people for spite BUT REMEMBER: who laughs last, laughs best.
YOU need to go back in u MOOMA womb and stop chatting crap ebrey minute on Antigua news room. Once you chat rubbish, I will respond accordingly you WASTE.
@crapp August 14, 2024 At 6:23 pm
You mentioned the one case against Giselle Isaac, which the PM openly stated that it did not have the backing of he Cabinet. Michael Brown went solo on this one as minister of Education. But let me just mention just one case that cost the tax payer millions of dollars due to the incompetent of Justin Simon. The case brought against APC. $250 million in damages. And I leave it their because he Justin when AG, lost almost every case in court. Costing the tax payers millions of dollars. I wish he had to pay for them out of his own pocket.
SERPENT , SHUGY and RICHARD LEWIS should be expelled from the UPP because They are DISHONEST and DISLOYAL to the UPP , cannot be trusted. The Prime Minister is waiing for an answer from Richard Lewis for High Commissioner to Jamaica. Justin Simon is correct.
It’s amazing how lawyers always want to paint themselves as pure and holy when deep down they know very well that they are a corrupt bunch.
well Justin made it clear that he dont trust Richard, Shoogy or the Snake…..he question their loyalty to UPP. hope they convince him of where they truly stand. Richard fed up of his Chairman. Shoogy love fete and winkin up, the snake is still a snake….deceptive and grimey and richard met with Labour Party to try get a job in his wife’s native jamaica
@ BP and Sad But True whom I believe is one and the same clone: Gaston Brown.
Does Melford, Samantha, Robin, Molwyn and Cutie trust you?
Hell to the NO, only because you guys are in power why guts not being spilled.
Gaston had to give out multiple Knighthoods to keep Cutie, Molwyn and Robin under control.
ABLP can never DARE call a CONVENTION any time soon because Gaston would be gotten the rid of in a jiffy. U tink people have forgotten the last convention of the ALP when Gaston and Asot bad play Lester and sent him TO AN EARLY GRAVE.
Molwyn and Robin hate Gaston guts so he had to give them Knighthood to quiet them- u tink Antiguans don’t know?
Then Cutie the other day threatened to spill the beans and was rewarded with ‘Sir’ to keep quiet, so things are not what it seems like in the MINIONS KINGDOM.
Just a matter of time for surely ALL OF YOUR SINS WILL FIND YOU OUT.
All Gaston do is use taxpayers money to buy people’s loyalty because his intention is to rule Antigua forever.
I have a message for him: HE IS NOT GOD, GOD GIVETH AND HE TAKETH AWAY, FOR WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE SHALL GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE HIS SOUL.
TAKE YOUR MONEY TO THE GRAVE WHERE IT WILL CANKER.
https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/a2007-23.pdf
Justin Simon gave us the 2007 Barbuda Land Act.
https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/No.-41-of-2017-BARBUDA-LAND-AMENDMENT-ACT2c-2017-For-Assent-1.pdf
Gaston Browne administration repealed and replace the 2007 Land Act. because it was UNCONSTITUTIONAL as Antigua and Barbuda is a UNITARY STATE. And has there only one Land Act. And all the Land is vested in the Crown, represented by the government of the day.
Simon goofed so badly on this one. What a waste of time of a King’s Counsel.
@ Less We Forget
Justin never sold /steal and give away Antigua real estate for his own profit nor gain. Remember just prior to the 2004 election when you went and huffed the land at English Harbour. U then flipped the land at Long Bay to your son, exchange swamp lands for Marble Hill, use your influence to obtain WIOC’s real estate, and I could go on and on- what Gaston has done with his highway robbery of lands in this country is far worse than Justin losing a case.
The legal system sucks and needs a major overhaul. Anyone caught with an unlicenced firearm should lost in jail.
I agree that anyone caught with an unlicensed firearm should not be given bail. On the other hand, I agree that more needs to be done to cater to detained juvenile offenders awaiting trial etc. Perhaps they can turn a part of the old US army base into a juvenile detention facility. It has been used to house foreign criminals before. It should be ‘nice’ enough for youth.
The Labourites are out in numbers to defend the stupidity of the Browne DAWG and his verbal diarrhea …..again.
Pssst. Labourites? Justin Simon is not in power. UPP is not in power. Take a closer look at the dunce you so fanatically support. All he ever does is BLAME someone else for his incompetence. No solutions, just blame and abject failures. 220 million deficit @Less and the reincarnated Tanny; deal with that. While you’re zeroing in on trivialities, our country is falling apart,our lands being sold and the white man is allowed to violate all kinds of laws.
All in not well in Labourland. The DAWG continues to bribe UPP politicians to stay in power,paying them millions, giving them high paying positions and ministries, while the illiterate supporters are cast aside like the carion they are. Duly elected reps are cast aside,Lamisha and Burton are moved out of the way like pawns and the winner of the ASESL primary is abandoned. What has become of the ALP’S long overdue convention?
It amazes me how these Labourites never see what is going on in their camp,but are quick to swarm over other outside happenings.
So Gaston Browne, the best analysis you can offer for the swarm of gun crimes overwhelming our country is that the judiciary is limping along when they should be racing to deter the criminals involved ? Even so, your views are not even original but a repeat of statements made recently by PM Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent expressed in relation to a similar situation developing in his country. You Gaston Browne have no clue as to how to handle this scourge that threatens to swallow up our country. You will not take responsibility for the failures in social and economic policies of your regime that have led to this catastrophe. You lack the capacity and intelligence as a leader to properly comprehend the underlying factors generating this chaos in our land and to develop measures to correct the awful situation. It’s the abject poverty and alienation that your insensitive and ignorant approach to governance has generated that are the root cause of the collapse of public safety currently afflicting this nation. You and your comrades are too preoccupied with your pursuit of self enrichment to develop the required capacity needed to solve the real crises bedeviling our country. And it will only get worse, until the long-suffering population can take it no more. Then your judgement will be upon you, and we the people will chase your crazy baldhead outta town !
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