Prime Minister Gaston Browne in response to the latest murder said:
“This shooting was ostensibly done by a criminal element who is known to the police for gun crimes. Interestingly, he was recently given bail.
The judiciary is failing our society by giving these known un-empathetic, destructive, criminal elements bail and short sentences, allowing them to become repeat offenders, thereby destabilizing our society with their routine criminal acts of crime and violence.
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While sentencing is the exclusive domain of the judiciary, as a member of the legislature, I am of the firm view that our judiciary is failing us.
Be empathetic to our people and not criminals.
Crime and violence must not pay and those who engage in crime and violence must surely pay.
We cannot reign in criminals with slaps on the wrist; they must be severely punished especially, repeat offenders who are involved in gun crimes.
Protect our society; up the sentencing now and end the bail for these hardcore criminals.”
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Has this fool been in power for the past 10 years? Why haven’t you changed the laws in the past 10 years, you moron?
whenever there is poverty, in Antigua caused partly by government corruption, there is an increase in crime. The PM needs to start providing opportunities for young people and increase the minimum wage instead, of trying to distract with law and order non-solutions
Very unfortunate. That’s why it’s never good to get into arguments/altercations with other human beings. It’s important to walk away from those situations. Now one human being is dead and another one is facing serious prison time. Two lives destroyed. For what?
Parliament must take responsibility for not making the necessary amendments to the judiciary the lawful authority to do so. Bail is the constitional rights of everyone. Our constitution says no one must deprived of they liberty unless by due process. So please attorney General let’s take bills to house of parliament to deal with these criminals.
Although the constitution guarantees bailouts, common sense says that the judiciary must used its authority to ensure that repeated well known violators are not given reduced bailouts so easily.
you’re the prime minister and you can change that narrative, so tell Cutie and Athlee to get their act together..
I would respectfully caution the Prime Minister from publicly making these pronouncements which can be interpreted as interference in the judicial branch of Government, especially given that he is a member of the legislature. The Prime Minister is not a regular citizen like me and you. His words matter.
In Antigua and Barbuda, you are still innocent until proven guilty. Every accused person who is detained in custody has a right to apply for bail. The probability for getting bail depends on many factors and is done at the sole discretion of the judge.
The judiciary alone shall decide on matters before them impartially on the basis of facts and in accordance with law and without any restrictions, improper influences, pressure or interference, direct or indirect, from any quarter or any reason.
I believe that the Prime Minister is well intentioned but it would serve him well not to comment on these issues lest they be misinterpreted as his interference in matters of the judiciary.
I want to say, that is one of the most dumbest things I heard. Not because it opens the door for the PM to be ridiculed for not changing the laws (making mandatory minimum) but it also highlights that all involve must be held accountable which would include the Attorney General, the top spot of the police and military, and all other government officials who was offered free assistance pertaining to criminology and victimology but refused.
Judges tend to follow the law and do not have much discretion but politicians like a Prime Minister and Attorney General has more tools and discretion to stop criminals and the opportunity to commit crimes.
Fault cannot be on judge (not easily) but tremendously easy on a political party in charge who has the duty to exercise the highest standard of care for the people it governs (like common carriers and in keeps, the slightest wrong, you politicians are at fault).
Stating this will cause my life to be threatened like that ABLP person did to me but I am saying this in good faith and for change. Plus, I am in fear but that will not stop me from saying what is right.
Gaston “Less You Forget,” you help to establish one of the street thuggish gangs known as Red Shut in Point and Villa with offshoots spreading to Yorks and Upper Fort Road. Ask Hammer Pump.
Gaston “Less You Forget,” you have no regrets in converting City West into an open air drug distribution market for crack cocaine, marijuana and Spanglish pussy with your OPEN BORDER POLICIES.
You cannot plant corn and reap sea island cotton or sugarcane. The Nation is reaping what you sowed.
My goodness me! More “wedge politics” and derisory nonsensical witterings by the the Prime Minister who has been in charge for over two – overlong – terms.
He’ll be blaming UPP next … oh wait!!!
How can Cutie Benjamin take a bill to Parliament to be amended when he himself has a passport fraud case that has been hanging over his head for years? If the head is slack, then the bottom will be slacker. Yes, I agree that these gun crimes need to be stiffer punishment; however, the root cause of how these guns are getting into the country and getting on our streets needs to be tackled also at the highest priority. The type of guns on our streets today is more advanced than that the Police and the ABDF have. That is why our police are so afraid; they’re outnumbered when it comes to firearms.
Absolutely he has the ability to influenced or make changes to the laws, creating stiffer penalties for those who just decide they want to live a life of violent crimes. So MRPM Do the thing we know what you can and should do instead of trying to appear the way you did
Absolutely right
@Mr Byam August 7, 2024 At 8:12 am
Here you go calling the PM a moron saying he has to go to parliament and past legislation to change the law. But it seems that you are so uninformed about what the legislative are can do. And one is that they cannot tie the hands of the Judiciary. They can give a range of what sentence must apply. But they cannot dictate how much the sentence should be. So get educated before you make statements like this.
@ From The Sideline, like you, Mr Byam is entitled to his opinion. Why is it that ABLP supporters do not like opposing viewpoints.
No wonder y’all pushing for a Gaston Browne “one-party state”. Mercy!
@Audley Philip – For some reason, your post normally interest me. Your linguistics are usually of a high standard but your practical approach are usually off. In school, were you good in English but poor in maths? World history also does not appear to be your strong point.
The points made by the Prime Minister are absolutely correct. Many persons, including myself, have been advocating the same sentiments but with this support added, hopefully the judiciary will hear the voices and move to action. This is a cry that all citizens should join. Look at countries like Singapore with large population, crimes like this would not even occur – why? The law is so stiff that the shooter would know the consequence of his action would be his own life! We need to stop this slap on the wrist approach when it comes to voilent crimes.
Look internationally, it is not uncommon for leaders to support gun control and other similar issues. I just hope he puts more weight behind the comments.
#SCAPEGOAT_🦎: ON DA RUN…
Starring…A-B & REDONDA’s PM, the illustrious Gaston Browne!
Soundtrack Credits – Bob Marley…
…U running and you running,
…yes, you running away;
…but, you can’t run from yourself!
Wharf_Rats…
…#rat_race! #rat_race’ #rat_race!
…oh! It’s a disgrace! To the HUEman race!
Hypocrites and Parasites…
…and, if night should turn to day,
…on a day like today!
…a lot of you shall run away!
…if, #da_G-Spot string fits
…U bettah, no wear it!
Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!
…thrown me carn!
…me nar call none bird!
It’s a Thin line…
…some will hate you!
…pretend they love you!
…but, still try to eliminate you!
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg👣Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
@ Audley Phillip: Your sentiments does not carry no weight. I am confuse as to why you can suggest that what was said can be interfering with the judiciary system…. What difference would it make if the PM made the same suggestion in parliament. Isn’t the PM a citizen like me and you. Is he not entitled to his own opinion?
I can conclude that when we have persons like you who focuses more on the messenger rather the message, because of politics, our country cannot and will not progress……. It is for this reason why UPP will never see the reigns of gov’t again in Antigua….. Like you, they are not constructive in their thoughts and actions.. Sad!
Gaston Browne: You are pointing fingers at the Judiciary.Where does your responsibility starts and ends into these matters? You are always blaming someone else.Look into that mirror and see that reflection.Tell me if you like what you have seen.
@ Less We Forget – Judges don’t legislate; that’s why we elect a government. This useless PM could have increased the penalties for violent crimes 10 year ago, but then all his supporters would be in jail. We need mandatory jail time for drug, gun/ammo offenses and receiving stolen property. The country is too small for this level of violence.
@Brixtonian August 7, 2024 At 10:33 am
Once again I take it y business to respond to you while you are fishing whether or not I’m From The Sidelines. But that aside.
My comment is not about an opinion. It’s about the law. The Legislative arm cannot tie the hands of the Judiciary. They cannot say you must hand down this sentence for this crime. That is the purview of the Judiciary. They may say this are the range of sentencing guidelines. We still have the death penalty on our books, yet the Judiciary has not sentence anyone to death in decades. Why is that? There is nothing political in this. So if the Prime Minister would call them out to sentence murderers to the death penalty, something that many people crying out for, what would you say. We also still have buggery laws on our books, but the judiciary has not sentence anyone for that in decades. The Prime Minister is lending his voice to that of the people and calling on the Judiciary to heed to our calls.
It is demoralizing to the work of the police when they see a criminal that they just put behind bars, being set free after such a sort time.
@Mr Byam August 7, 2024 At 11:37 am
I really cannot help if you do not understand that the legislative arm cannot TIE the HANDS of the Judiciary. You cannot LEGISLATE that. In Amerca they had those types of laws that tight the hands of the judge when persons are caught with a spliff they automatically got the minimum sentence of three years in prison. That was signed in to law by Bill Clinton. The result of that was that many black men found themselves in prison for smoking a joint. Clinton later on, year later regretted that law. As the effect could be seen in the black community.
In Antigua the government of Gaston Browne made the decision that rather to have all these young men in jail for smoking a spliff to make it not an indictable offence. But just a minor offends like a traffic offends. So all they could do is give fines. And we see now in many states in the USA this is the trend. And smoking and selling marijuana is legal and produces many millionaires as well. But that is only in some states. It’s still a federal crime. And people with money from the sale of drugs cannot bank that money. or they will commit Wire Fraud. Anyway. You like Brix do not wish to educate yourself with the truth and the law. You just like to run your mouth for political expediency. Good Luck and stay dumb and ignorant.
@Bluddy Bloke August 7, 2024 At 11:26 am
I totally agree with you. But I did not want to respond to Audley. He is looking for attention. And the PM will certainly not give him any. Only Daren would see it worthy to invite his opinion on Twin Islands Media in the morning. He has lost my respect and his objectivity when commenting on issues. he needs to wheel and come again.
What about failing society and losing a generation of young men to the liberal approach to having people walking up and down st. John’s puffing herb smoke in people face and police turning a blind eye on your advice.
@ Less We Forget – You up in America in your gated community while the foreign criminals running riot in Antigua. We want the criminals off the street, so yes, we want the “hands of the judiciary tied”. The primary responsibility of this government is to keep Antiguan citizens safe. Mandatory minimums now! I don’t care if they’re black, red, or blue.
everyone have the right to get bail right?
the need more punishment for these guys who feel they can take people lives
They need to take these kind of animals off the streets
I agree with the PM 100%.
PM SAYS ‘…CRIMINAL ELEMENT KNOWN TO THE POLICE: ‘RECENTLY GRANTED BAIL…?
FACTS
Now:
(i) ‘…The ‘PM’ is ‘NOT’ a ‘…CRIMINAL:
(ii) …Does not associate with ‘…Known Criminals:
(iii) …Does not harbor ‘…Criminals:
(iv) …Does not entertain ‘…Criminals: and
(v) …Des not encourage ‘…Criminality.’
ACCEPTED FACTS: …CONTINGENCIES FOR CARNIVAL SHANTY TOWN
Now, ‘ACCEPTING’ these as:
(i) ‘…FACTS,’ and
(ii) ‘…ACCEPTING’ that the ‘…KILLER-GUNMAN’ was a ‘…KNOWN CRIMINAL’ to the Police’
[Paragraph 1]:’ and
(iii) …Since ‘…MAGISTRATES AND JUDGES’ do not ‘…HANG-OUT’ at ‘…CARNIVAL SHANTY
TOWN,’ then ‘…Prime Minister Gaston Browne,’ might gently ask ‘…Commissioner of
Police, Atlee Rodney QPM:
(a) ‘…What ‘…OPERATIONAL CONTINGENCIES’ were in place for ‘…CARNIVAL SHANTY
TOWN? and
(b) …What was the complement of personnel ‘…DETAILED’ to work at ‘…SHANTY TOWN?
and
(c) …Who was the ‘…SENIOR POLICE OFFICER,’ deployed at ‘…SHANTY TOWN.’
ISSUE OF BAIL:
Since ‘…BAIL’ appeared to have been featured in this news portal, even as it is contained in the ‘…CONSTITUTION ORDER,’ it appears not to be a ‘…RIGHT.’
REASONABLE INFERENCE
A ‘…Reasonable Inference,’ might be drawn from the ‘…Constitutional Language’ that states:
‘…When a person is arrested, ‘…EXCESSIVE BAIL’ shall not be required in those cases where ‘…BAIL’ is being granted’ [CO: 1981: Section 5 (4)].
This suggests a ‘…Discretionary Power,’ exercisable ‘…ONLY’ by:
(a) ‘…The MAGISTRACY: and
(c) …The JUDICIARY.’
Thus, ‘…Magistrates and Judges, ‘…RULE.’
SMOKE IT:
Who does not like it, could simply put it in a ‘…PIPE,’ and ‘…SMOKE IT.’
THAT’S IT FOLKS.
Aieee Sidey, I knew it was you all along.
I should be a detective? I might apply for the Police Commissioner Attlee Rodney’s roll in the future – I can’t do any worse then he’s doing at moment 😉
@Mr Byam August 7, 2024 At 1:44 pm
First of all, I live right here in Sweet Antigua. I do own a condo in Orlando but that is for vacationing purpose and to play golf with my bodies.
But once again this is not about what you or me would like to see. It is what the constitution permit the legislative arm to do. One cannot dominate the other.
Read the Constitution and learn. Educate yourself and do not stay ignorant.
To RAWLSTON POMPEY: Could you speak to the allegation that PM Gaston Browne is aware of the individual or individuals who forged his signature?
Why wasn’t this deemed a national security issue and thoroughly investigated by law enforcement?
Isn’t the PM aiding and abetting an alleged criminal and wouldn’t this mean he could be charged for obstruction of justice?
The DAWG controls the police. Rodney is his puppet as well as several other department leaders.
Will the judiciary respond to this? Will they come out and condemn this fool?
Let’s see. The DAWG will have his day in court.
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