Prime Minister Gaston Browne has condemned the killing of well-known businessman George “Charlie” Barnes, describing it as a “senseless” act of violence.
Mr Barnes, a respected petrol station proprietor, was gunned down outside his home in Ottos on Friday night. Police have launched a major investigation into the attack.
Speaking in the aftermath, Mr Browne offered condolences to the family and said the incident highlighted the urgent need to tackle crime and violence.
“Someone, or maybe a group of individuals, stuffed out his life senselessly. I mean that is just so unfortunate. Someone who is well known to many of us,” the Prime Minister said.
He acknowledged that while there had been recent successes in reducing crime, more investment was needed. He revealed that the government is finalising negotiations to install an islandwide surveillance system.
“We are just about to conclude a deal in which we have this camera system with 200 cameras that we will be deploying islandwide to provide greater surveillance,” he said, adding that new capabilities within the Defence Force would help track criminal elements.
The Prime Minister said the killing was especially tragic as it came just after the National Day of Prayer, underscoring the persistence of “criminal elements who are unempathetic and prepared to maim and to kill rather than engage in productive work.”
He concluded by extending condolences on behalf of the government and reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthening security measures across Antigua and Barbuda.
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PeeeeeeeeeM Browne, what should the shooter fo with his firearm?
Should he ditch it because it is hot?
Is the defence force into crime fighting?
Shouldn’t any tracking system be with the police?
It is hypocritical to say you are doing so much about crime fighting when you invest in the army and not in the police.
Soldiers do not fight crime.
You have totally opposed bringing in outside help in the fight against crime.
How tgen do you expect to nip it.
It is sad that your accolites can find no fault in your utterances.
Did they not hear you say that camera abd tracking systems to monitor the criminals are with the defense force?
Didn’t they applaud you for advising thugs and trigger hungry criminals to ditch their firearms and come to him?
Alas, Antigua!!!!
What have you brought unto yourself???????
200 WORKING cameras will help, but the way Wadadli is constructed with all these off roads, alleys and darkness, it will take a whole lot more.
I want to believe Mr Barnes as an established business man is a licensed firearm holder, in this case every time you see me i would be strapped, especially in these times with our present island wide crime situation. Driving home from my business at that time, I know my piece would have been sitting in my lap.
Speaking of cameras! not only should there be cameras in and around my business, but so too my home would have been surrounded with these same cameras. As a matter of fact in today’s technology i should’ve been able to sit at my business and on my phone watch my home and vice-versa.
Sadly, crimes of this nature are part of the reason for lack of progress of black communities. While we ask others for reparations for the past, we ourselves are the biggest users and exploiters of one another in this day and age. When a person works hard and accomplishes something, others want to latch on and use that person’s labour for free. Instead of hurting the man to take away what he has worked hard for, why didn’t these (presumably young) criminals instead start a business of their own and ask him or other successful businesspeople to invest in their startup then just work their way up honestly? Taking out or away from or dragging down all the hardworking people is just going to keep all of us in perpetual poverty and at the mercies of other people groups forever. Other groups build one another up. Here we tear one another down then have the nerve to cry about oppression. Young people should ask nicely and come with ideas ready to work instead of taking without permission. Older successful persons should start investment clubs to assist young entrepreneurs or just be ready to help someone else up in life. Then there will be less crime and more progress.
Living and dying like dogs
Just because some you can take a cruises, jet off to NY, send your kids to schools in Canada, wear Rolex watches and gold chains, that you flaunt on your a cabin cruiser or on the beach; you are still living and dying like dogs.
Poverty, Mediocrity and Disparity is prevalent in this Antigua and Barbuda
We have to make a choice: either we prioritize living in a prosperous, healthy and stable society, or we prioritize tribalism; we can’t have both.
If we continue to choose the later, we will keep on losing our grip on reality, and we’ll keep on living and dying dogs
Prove me wrong!
As a Dominica 🇩🇲 living in the US 50 plus years, I have a lot of Dominican family living in Antigua, I planned on spending my winters between my 2 favorite Islands. With all these senseless murders, rapes and armed robberies makes me feel like that would be getting out of The pot n into the fire. I have seen it all in NY, I worked in the killing fields of NY. It is shameful, shameful that two of the most beautiful Caribbean islands I love so much have leaders who don’t love their people enough to drastic measures to curb these senseless crimes and violence.
Shame on both Islands, 🇩🇲 n Antigua!!!
PM we need to seriously implement some measures to address the crime situation. This is a bit too much especially gun related crimes and those against the elderly
So the devil was upset that the nation came out and now he start a war. Then we need to rise up. Give that devil a war. RIP man
That is a really sad vibes. Trust me. A man just come home from work and bammmm he gone. Jah know star
In this the Antigua and Barbuda that we want ro live in? It’s is becoming scary ro just wake up abd realize you’re still in Antigua
MR please hush all the young ladies the young boys kill you meet with them and up to this date you know who they are and you don’t arrest one of them all life matters, you know as all of us know is not just that girl kill the little girl you all acting like we stupid, and your supporters like to cuss ppl when we have issues.
Something has to be done because people can’t even feel safe inna them own house.
The government should get solar powered streetlight with camera combination out of china to replace all existing streetlights system and help the police and government solve crime.
Ah cuss pon this Administration, there will never be a change till dem depart de scene. Ah time to face de facts. When you unfairly transfer people into weak constituencies to win, when you bribe impoverished people to get votes all dat is criminal acts against the poor. Now you Ah reap the whirlwind, there will never be peace
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