‘Gun Shot Can’t Run This Town’: Browne Urges Youth to Reject Crime and Violence
Prime Minister Gaston Browne delivered a firm message on crime and youth during his Independence Day address, warning that violence has no place in Antigua and Barbuda’s future.
“Gun shot can’t run this town,” Browne declared as he called on young people to put down their weapons, pursue education and training, and “level up” toward meaningful employment and opportunity.
The Prime Minister’s remarks came as the nation marked its 44th anniversary of Independence, with Browne highlighting that Antigua and Barbuda continues to record one of the lowest crime and homicide rates in the Caribbean. He said nine homicides have been reported so far this year—two fewer than last year—but emphasized that “nine is still too many.”
He acknowledged a recent spate of robberies and said law enforcement operations will intensify, backed by new technology and intelligence-gathering efforts to ensure communities remain safe.
“Crime does not pay — and those who persist with crime and violence will surely pay the price,” Browne warned.
He urged young citizens to turn away from the lure of quick money, saying it “sweet, but bitter in the end,” and instead take advantage of government programmes like the Youth Employment and Empowerment Programme (YEEP), academic scholarships, and vocational training opportunities.
“Be a productive youth and invest in knowledge and skill,” he said, framing discipline, responsibility, and self-improvement as the path to lasting success.
Browne reaffirmed that security is not only the work of police but the shared responsibility of every citizen who chooses peace over lawlessness.
“Our freedom endures because our society respects the rule of law,” he said. “Security and justice will always prevail.”
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The gun town was created under the watchful eyes of politicians. The youths are simply assimilating to what they’re immersed in.
Why apply for youth employment and empowerment programm and only a few on one hand can be successful
This guy is really ridiculous. He asked for a gun amnesty and told the gun toting criminals to do whatever they wanted with the weapons that might have been used in criminal activities and now he’s chastising them for possessing guns. That’s what you get for buying votes.
Great advise, it’s time that government contract special skill training companies to come to Antigua with imported facility to train young people, things like Allison transmission repairs, elevator escalator repair and electronic diesel engine repairs and even streetlights repairs because what APUA is discarding is not damage as they assumed, it is one parts in the series circuit or a diode need changing, Antigua need a renaissance for the youths today, not the old way of doing things from colonial times, bring in technical skills training companies or institute with their facility be side state college is limited.
The youth will become part of nation building and entrepreneur instead of a life of crime.
Gaston needs to put harsh punishment for these gun men especially for youth who think they can do criminal activities n get away with it because they’re under age. If Gaston don’t do something quick in regards to these break-ins then we the public will have to .. we’re TIRED n FED UP of whats going on.