In a strong statement addressing the growing concern over violent crime, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has called on the Judiciary to impose stricter penalties on repeat offenders, particularly those involved in gun-related crimes.
Speaking firmly, Browne emphasized the need for the legal system to reflect the severity of the criminal activities these individuals are engaged in.
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Prime Minister Gaston Browne Urges Judiciary to Impose Harsher Penalties for Repeat Offenders Involved in Gun Crimes
“I make no apologies about it,” Browne asserted. “We expect the Judiciary to ensure that known repeat criminals, hardened offenders, receive sentences that accurately reflect the gravity of their crimes. As far as my administration is concerned, anyone repeatedly involved in gun crimes should face severe penalties. You cannot give hardened criminals soft penalties.”
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While acknowledging that he does not have the authority to direct the Judiciary, Browne nonetheless criticized the leniency of current sentencing practices.
He pointed out that many known criminals are back on the streets within a short period, typically serving only two years for serious offenses. “The time has come for the Judiciary to step up and hand down harsher, longer sentences,” Browne stated.
The Prime Minister also highlighted that legislation is already in place to support stricter sentencing, noting that Parliament had previously extended the maximum penalty for certain crimes to ten years.
He expressed confusion as to why judges continue to issue relatively short sentences and pledged that his government is prepared to address any legal impediments to longer sentences.
Browne has asked Attorney General Benjamin to engage with the acting Chief Justice to discuss this pressing issue.
He stressed that the matter is not unique to Antigua and Barbuda but is observed across the Caribbean region. Browne criticized some members of the Judiciary for prioritizing the constitutional rights and human rights of criminals over the safety and stability of society.
“The constitutional rights and human rights of criminals are not more important than the stability of society or the lives of hardworking people who are being robbed and killed,” Browne declared.
He urged the Judiciary to align their sentencing practices with the government’s efforts to combat crime, citing the significant resources his administration has provided to law enforcement, including the hiring of 140 additional officers, the provision of dozens of vehicles, and the installation of cameras and radios for enhanced communication.
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Will the Chief Justice wear his Judicial hat or his Political hat?
And that is what a good leader should do. Be the voice of the people in times like these. Calling out the other branch of our System of Governance. Even though they are independent. He the PM is lauding the concerns of both Law enforcement and the citizenry. The police will be given all the tools they need, but at the same time their work and effort need not to be made redundant by judges that are more lenient to criminals than to the victims of these criminals. Infact I wish they would bring back the death penalty. And toll hell with those countries that want to lecture us what we should and should not do. Especially when their histroy is one filled with humanrights abused on a scale not measurable in the history of mankind.
Browne criticized some members of the Judiciary for prioritizing the constitutional rights and human rights of criminals over the safety and stability of society.
And if I say that is evidence of dunce, ABLP BLOGGER will attack me. And threaten my life.
For a sentence to be lawful, even again horrible and vicious repeat offender, the proceedings must have not violated the person’s constitutional rights and the punishment should also be constitutionally proportional.
It is horrific to hear a Prime Minister, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister, Brown, some one I actually preferred to lead, telling the judiciary to not respect the constitutional rights of all who comes before it.
Maybe that is why that ABLP higher up encourage people to kill me because I simply say I have great ideas to improve national security, safety and victims’ right.
I am telling you to get experts to advise you guys, including prior to going on a radio. What the Prime Minister said is sufficient for him to be impeached (if they have such) and listed on international tyrannical government list and frankly, I do not want that for him.
I am only expressing the reasonable and foreseeable consequences his words can result to. I literally cannot believe what I am reading here.
I am against violating the constitutional rights of any person. No matter what. Follow the constitution to lawfully punish, not suspend and revoke human and constitutional rights.
Yet they have a license firearms and me having to wait? What on earth?
EXECUTIVE MEMBER TO INTERFERE WITH JUDICIARY
QUICKER TO SEE: ‘…LIGHTNING’ OR ‘…HEAR ROLL OF THUNDER’
This ‘ANR’ headline: ‘…PM INSTRUCTS ‘AG’ TO MEET WITH CHIEF JUSTICE,’ appears intriguing.
REALLY DID NOT REMEMBER THE SOUND OF ‘…RAM GOATS,’ or how ‘…JACKASSES BRAY,’ but do know of ‘…DISAGREEMENT:
There will always be ‘…DISAGREEMENT,’ yet can say with:
(a) ‘…Respect fo both esteemed friends’ and without:
(b) …Fear of Contradiction:
(c) …Bone of Contention:
(d) …Friction:
(e) …Confrontation: or
(f) …Physical subjection:
(g) …Weaponized altercation,’ the ‘PM’ would ‘…QUICKER SEE:’
(i) ‘…A Streak of Lighting: and hear
(ii) …The Rolling Thunder,’ than ‘…HEAR’ the ‘…Attorney General,’
‘…BLEETING’ like a ‘…RAM SHEEP.’
PERMANENCY OF APPOINTMENT: …CAUTION: ‘…AG AND PM’
Though ‘…ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA’S VOTE’ could secure ‘…PERMANCY OF APPOINTMENT,’ as ‘…CHIEF JUSTICE,’ both are ‘…URGED’ to leave ‘…Acting Chief Justice, His Lordship, MARIO MICHEL’ alone.
WALK GOOD.
We can protect citizens and not have to even consider taking away human and constitutional rights. I see many areas that can be improved to substantially decrease vicious crimes against person and property. Those need to be dealt with urgently as it has the most impact. Not removal of constitutional rights. That is for war zones.
Are you telling me the leaders are so incompetent that the first thing or the best idea from our leaders is to remove the constitutional and human rights of citizens. Are we really that incompetent? I am confident we are not that incompetent in Antigua and Barbuda. We have better options available and not being used.
Oops ! My bad as pm to call on the acting chief just to speak with cutie Benjamin, he may want to talk to cutie about his passport fraud case that the Jamaican dpp was ostensibly paid to throw out to prevent cutie jail time like his co accuse .
Look,this man is a joke! Talk to the justice system? Is that how it works? That sounds like dealing with the symptoms and not the cause.
Guns are coming into the country illegally. How? Who is behind it? Are high government officials involved? I hear there’s a lucrative rent-a-gun business thriving here. Who’s behind it?
When these criminals get to court,and most of them don’t, they would have left a trail of crime behind them. People would have already been traumatized if not worst. People are already terrified. Antigua is not safe,contrary to the sh$$ Cutie Benjamin spills. The judiciary is not the problem here,in this instance.
First we rid the country of Gaston Browne, Cutie Benjamin, Atley Rodney. We bring something like Scotland yard or some competent security agency,give them subpoena powers and let them unravel the root cause of all this crime and who the crime bosses are.
What I am advocating is a cleansing, starting from the TOP.
The judiciary is an independent arm of Government.The sentencing guidelines on the books must be followed.If the guidelines needs to be adjusted.The Gaston Browne Administration needs to go to Parliament and passed stiffer penalties for certain crimes.For in my opinion,Judges cannot make up their own rules and sentencing under the Laws.
@watching.
I second your message big time!
But this fool we have as PM do not listen, and now Antiguan’s are paying dearly for it.
This guy broke the very laws of the country when he conspired to bring in over 1000 illegal immigrants who disappeared into thin air..they tried and wash their dirty hands from that mess, but here we are 2 yrs later pleading for this government to sure-up the ports and borders.
But you’re dead on with your assessment..
GET RID OF THIS DAMN GOVERNMENT.
PURE WASTE.
Build a penal colony on one of the offshore islands that are continually being sold off in the name of CIP.
This PM is the biggest moron in the WI. It’s called mandatory minimums you cretin. Increasing the maximum to 10 years is a waste of time is the minimum is still a fine. The foreign justices are looking after their own not Antiguans.
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