The Antigua and Barbuda government is considering expanding its national CCTV surveillance programme to include automated traffic enforcement, but says legislative changes and supporting technology would be needed before cameras could be used to issue citations.
The possibility was raised during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, where Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant was asked whether the government had considered systems used in other countries that automatically issue tickets for speeding and red-light violations captured by surveillance cameras.
Merchant said the concept is under consideration but cautioned that the country is not yet ready to implement such a system.
“They are under consideration,” he said, adding that officials also recognize the practical challenges of introducing automated enforcement, including public acceptance and the administrative systems needed to support it.
He said any move toward camera-generated traffic citations would require the creation of a robust database capable of tracking vehicle owners and producing sufficient evidence to support enforcement actions.
Merchant also noted that amendments to existing legislation would likely be necessary before police could rely on CCTV footage to issue traffic tickets without direct interaction with motorists.
He pointed to provisions under Antigua and Barbuda’s Development Control Authority legislation, where notices are considered legally served once there is proof of service, regardless of whether the recipient claims to have received them. A similar legal framework, he suggested, could be adopted for automated traffic enforcement.
The discussion comes as the government continues the rollout of its national CCTV surveillance programme. Cabinet was advised this week that 42 strategic locations have been selected for high-definition cameras across Antigua and Barbuda, with installation expected to be completed by the final week of August. The cameras are intended to strengthen crime prevention and will be integrated with the Royal Police Force’s existing surveillance network.
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@eldread…at least the government listen your petition but,in a wrong way…
Flock cameras,flock cameras!!! We as negritos, we going to pay even for fart in your own car…tanks to all this mongrels punks driving like crazy….Antigua is a fertile land for TAX THEY OWN POPULATION…a lot of non sense, the public just behaving in stupid radio shows and so on.Right now is for transit, tomorrow for all the stree and then into your own house, except the toilet….welcome agenda 2030!!!!
@eldread,your dreams get through!!! Sadly in a wrong way
Long overdue, and credit where credit is due for this new legislation by the government.
Drivers that obey the laws have absolutely NOTHING to worry about. It’s the dangerous ones who use their mobile phones; or overtaking multiple vehicles; and speeding ones that’s pushed this government towards action.
When my son drives in European countries, speed cameras are everywhere, and are automatically dispatched when illegal parking takes place, and if he goes over 1km over certain 20km limits, fines or penalty points are issued or attending drivers awareness courses.
Antigua have been behind the times for decades!
This is for those crazy VITZ drivers!!!
@inquire: please don’t conflate what ANR print with reality, the ALP government and Gaston is just making rethorical speeches meant for performative politics, but ANR does look inside Gaston and cutie head and see stupidness and call it news.
They nit serious for once, if I was to be called to give my input because this is nation building and not partisan politics, the political fanatics seem to think that the red party and the blue party are two neighboring countries, and are not aware that we are on one land mass and suffer from the same destructive corruption by the politicians we love so dearly, I put country above political party.
I will still press the government of the day to acquire these things to make our country a safer place, and as I have stated in past articles or blogs the streetlight poles could be all erected in a day if they get the helical helix screw anchor foundation to mount the streetlight poles instead of concrete, and streetlights that are solar powered with camera and battery and solar panel built into one compact unit so that there would not be any future theft or destruction of the streetlight batteries, and note well that during storm they have to be taken down, the APUA has to hire reserved linesman and equipment to accomplish this task.
I still believe the traffic police should get off their lazy behind and be more visible on the road. I mean something bad will happen one they when a driver will be so annoyed when another driver is causing him/her to have to cause an accident. The traffic police in never anywhere in sight. People park where ever they like. Busses stop where and when they want to pick up passengers. Drivers overtaking when their is an unbroken line on Airport Road. Drivers turning right or left on that road when it is clearly marked not to turn. Just have a police stationed by Dees Service Station for a month and see how many tickets he will have to issue. The only way drivers in Antigua will be brought back in control is, if the police is visible in the traffic. For now it is do as you like, me nah keh.
The better use for these cameras would be to secure the airport perimeter fence. Especially with the up coming CHOGM in November. Government and Antiguans and Barbudans need to start taking this thing serious. We will be the host of the World most prestigious group of people. More then the G7. We will have the KING of Great Brittan as our Guest. Our Head of State. And alongside many other dignitaries will attend. Their safety is in our hand. We never ever had that sort of responsibility before. When Princes Diana use to visit Barbuda it was done in such secrecy, but the security details where strict. No Barbudan could come close to her without the permission of her security. The beach was forbidding territory. As we have seen during the little shutdown last Friday, the people living in town will be told to stay indoors and don’t come out their homes. When celebrities come to Antigua they do so in strict secrecy and we know the places they stay. Jumby Bay or Mill Reef. But some also have private home here. When you monitor the private jets down at Runway 10 you will understand when the majority of them are here. No news nothing to alert the press. Before time Robin Leach used to make publicity with his show going to Jumby Bay to show us where the rich people live. It was said Bill Gates has a home on Jumby Bay. But as I said many others high net worth individuals have homes here, but they want to live here in peace. No publicity. For CHOGM however the entire world will have their spotlight focused on Antigua and Barbuda. Our Airport need 24/7 patrolling and surveillance. And the cameras will come in perfectly handy. Sir Benjamin please reconsider using the cameras for little traffic fines. Airport security is a higher priority.
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