St. John’s, Antigua – The annual Boxing Day street jam in St. John’s came to an abrupt end due to the intervention of Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who addressed a potentially dangerous situation involving two young boys.
The Prime Minister took to Facebook to share the incident, expressing concern over the involvement of violent youths in the festivities.
According to Browne’s post, the street jam ended prematurely as a result of the disruptive behavior exhibited by the two boys, aged approximately 11/12 and 13/14.
“I want to commend Conny as an elder for listening to me when I saw these 2 little boys walking through the band looking for someone,” Browne wrote. He described a scene where one of the boys had a cutlass, and the other had a long knife. The Prime Minister intervened by instructing onlookers to disarm the boys rather than resorting to violence.
Browne emphasized the urgency of addressing such incidents before upcoming events, particularly Labor Day and Carnival in 2024.
He urged immediate action to ensure the safety of participants and attendees at street events in the future.
“THIS HAS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH GREAT URGENCY BEFORE LABOR DAY AND CARNIVAL 2024, as a matter of fact, every street event from here onwards!!!” Browne emphasized in his Facebook post.
The Prime Minister’s call for swift action highlights the need for enhanced security measures and community engagement to prevent incidents of violence during public gatherings.
Authorities are expected to respond promptly to the Prime Minister’s concerns and work towards creating a safer environment for future events in Antigua and Barbuda.
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OH! But when they were mauling each other during school hours and after school, nobody batted an eye? This place is a joke.
The leader need to set a mandate for buying knifes cutlass and other sharp objects to the age of 21.
The person must have an VALID ID TO OBTAIN THESE ITEMS
These are items in every household….this a National crisis…which needs a National response…holding parents accountable for those under 18…especially the deadbeat fathers.
What else can we do? The blaming of politicians don’t hold water anymore.
@ Dexter Pelle
Every opportunity to defend your government, not surprising.
How many monthly board fees do you get?
@ antigua is crime free, ‘the broad sheet’… Listen up man. This is not a political situation. Can you imagine what would have happened to who they were looking for, or worse yet, innocent bystanders. We ALL need to stop this nonsense. The parents and families of these young thugs need to be held accountable! What and who raised us is no longer in play raising these children. The village is NO longer raising the children because, “we don’t want anyone to talk to, or discipline our children”, and that’s the crux of the matter.
Children behave disruptive in school, the parents come and wud off the teachers, and who nah pull gun a pull knife. It’s damn sickening now.
Let’s be adult about the situation, and let charity begin at home. Teach them to love and how to resolve issues. This current generation we are seeing is slipping further and further away from us. The devil has raged war on families and he’s winning, because we as adult are too caught up with “the look” rather than the “outlook”.
I PRAY we get it right soon jack, or else a lot of us will be holding our bellies and bawl, because they will mess with the wrong person who will deal with them “trang” as they say, and it will be ALL over.
Let us go back to basics. So simple. “Spare NOT the rod, and spoil the child.
Proverbs 13-24: He who spares the rod hates his son, but He who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
“I’ll leave this here”
💯 %
@ Hmmmmmmmm?
You behave as though that the ABLP were not the same ones that use to blame the UPP for all the crime which happened during 2004 to 2014?
Such hypocrites!!!!
Agreed 100%
I am no admirer of the Prime Minister, not by a long chalk, but I cannot fault him on this occasion. What did he say that can be disputed? The days of discipline being instilled in the home seem to have been long gone. In times past the very idea of 11-14 years old children carrying a cutlass or knife would have been unthinkable. There has been a gradual breakdown in law and order in society in Antigua partially influenced by the copycat mentality of Antiguans. Nevertheless It has to be admitted that discipline begins in the home. The so-called fathers who I refer to as ram goats, and I don’t give half a cent to whomever fits this description, are the ones chiefly to blame, not any politician. They boast of how many children they have sired with how many women but ask them if provide and care for their offspring and not many can say they do. It all starts in the home and the mothers who are sweet-talked into being bedded by the aforesaid ram goats can only do so much. No, politicians canot be blamed for this. It starts in the home.
@ oversee
@ Hmmmmmmmm?
You behave as though that the ABLP were not the same ones that use to blame the UPP for all the crime which happened during 2004 to 2014?
Such hypocrites!!!!
All of a sudden its not the government’s responsibility.
@hypocrites.
It is clear you and commonsense are strangers to each other. Here we are talking about the very serious matter of 11-14 year youths armed with a cutlass and a long knife seeking to harm others. Your response is to introduce politics into the discussion. Does it mean nothing to you that these youth are potential violent criminals in the making? Seems unlikely. Kindly read again carefully what I wrote, take your time this time around, no hurry, then consider. You might find this bit of advice useful in future; no offence meant and they are not my words either but the saying of a great writer:
“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
Do you want the government to directly raise your kids?
While you could implement age restriction on the purchase of knives and cutlasses, realistically that would have no effect as those items are normal household items and several knives and a cutlass are readily available in and around an average home. These same items have been around for decades. The problem is that the youths are for some reason wanting to fight with potentially lethal implements more and more these days.
an what’s gonna be there punishment smh boys like these need to be put away for life they don’t deserve to walk the street!!!!! a them same one grow up an turn gun men you need to make an example out of them harsh punishment please!!!!
Where was Steadroy Benjamin? Is security not his ministry? What has become of our country?
From whence cometh all this party and street jam mentality? In my youth, these were quiet, family days perhaps with a beach visit.
Can we not see that all this party and fete is a big attraction for the youths and where there are large gatherings like these, anything can happen? Has to be a strong police presence or this will inevitably be the result. I’m just saying.
A normal day in Antigua tbh
14 grams and four trees. Welcome to the next level
Here ya!!!
Prime Minister Browne asking onlookers to intervene instead of telling the police authorities to do the jobs they are paid to do.
And I don’t for one damn ‘dog-on’ minute think Gaston Browne should be concerned about their age groups of around 11 to 13-year-olds, because this swivel-eyed deceiver of facts, didn’t care whatsoever, when he sent in his military ‘black-shirts’ against a similar age group on Teargas Sunday in August 2021.
The more Gassssston speaks, the more you can pull apart his rhetoric – not really difficult, for the educated, the independent thinkers, or critical thinkers
Come on now Brixtonian u sounding really foolish here. Even though u don’t support PM Browne are u really trying to imply here that the crowd should stand back and let these juvenile delinquents harm folks while waiting for the cops to come. Especially sine it eas a jouvert and a lot of people were there. Come on man u suppose to be a “highly=intelligent” person. Or do u simply love to “intellectaul masturbe” on here and show off how many big words u can Google.
I don’t know what you mean @ Chupes.
My vocabulary is vast, as I currently have a library of over 3,000 books.
Don’t hate because I personally introduced YOU to words you haven’t used (or even heard before); but if I was a Caucasian you wouldn’t say a word or even bat an eyelid.
Why not be proud of a fellow Antiguan that that loves LINGUISTICS and the RULES of language.
Brixtonian, destroying his detractors as always 😁
1 I ain’t no detractors
2 I ain’t hating on u
3 your comment is very foolish
“Prime Minister Browne asking onlookers to intervene instead of telling the police authorities to do the jobs they are paid to do”
Are u trying to imply that onlookers should just stand aside and let these juvenile delinquents hurt people while waiting on the cops to come through a crowd. Do u see how foolish u sound. But it seems like u love to show off with all this “intellectual masturbation”
4 3000 books screams an introvert with no life thus loses himself in the world off books and now try to bully others in the virtual world with his “large” vocabulary.
You are entitled to your opinion – as am I @ Chupes. Some people in life like to lead by good example, and others following the heard.
I categorise myself in the former … where do you stand Chupes? Surprise me 😁
… And in the meantime Antigua’s crime rate soars and you ah worry ’bout Brixtonian’s “vast” and “extensive” vocabulary!!!
NOW WHO’S THE FOOL???
I LOVE WRITING …
OK! Mr. PM! Didn’t you know, that…
…habits, become #Norms!
…norms, become A Way Of Life!
…a way of life, defines A People!
…a people, defines A Culture!
…said culture, shall predicate!
…this culture, will dictate!
…the directions, said PEOPLE take
…as, #Time is left; right, in it’s own wake.
…since, #NOTHING!
…as in, #no! #thing!
…’tis, the only thing!
…which happens by mistake!
…all others, are by design! Default! Destiny!
The Chickens are #Coming_Home_2_Roost!
Didn’t the PM, Asot, Baldwin, Wilmouth, Harold all recognised, what was happening, to the CULTURE, as recently as the late 1980’s to now?
It was during this period, that ORGANIZED STREET THUGS/GANGS were allowed to establish, recruit and indoctrinate, just like more organized orders(law enforcement, hiram Abiff crew, odd_fellas etc, those of the purported upper echelon – malfeasance, corruption, embezzlement in these quarters…hey, IHI how are you doing? Odebrecht, ah wah ah guarne?)
Don’t get it #twisted? These kids, children, young adults, grown folks are just caught up in, the Crime Storm criss_crossing the Island.
The chickens are #Coming_Home_2_Roost!
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De ‘ole Dutty_Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
I find this odd.
Let’s say at 12-year-old and a 14 year old are running through the crowd searching for someone armed with knife and machete!
Mal intent,,obvious
Police,presence should have handled this.
You then,,shut down festivities.
For that?
What happened to disarming and holding they,, in position to ask; What are your parents phone numbers?We’re going to call them,,to come here now!
To then,,address they and parents,,publicly,,,,,a political photo opertunity,,,wasted.
Instead you have a bunch of persons,who came out to fete,,who are now disgruntled,,when your,,,, on the spot,, , mandate,,was met.
Leave these two youths to iron out their differences between themselves. Antigua ppl love mind neearga bizniz. These are the way we solved our differences in the old days or as the saying goes ” first to the choplass, first to the finish line”
We are living in a day and age when some people don’t deserve to be parents. These same people are stupid, ignorant, and void of any idea of what it means to raise an offspring. What is being displayed by some of the youths of our society, adolescents and teenagers, is as a result of no proper upbringing. A complete lack of discipline, no respect for others, no respect for law and order, and no respect for life. And before the trending situation gets more out of hand, the Minister responsible for National Security, should table a bill for the introduction of a law to have these young thugs when caught, to be taken straight to the police headquarters and flogged with a bull bud. Then call the parents to pick them up. And if any parent chooses to get into any ruckus with the police over the disciplinary measure, that parent or parents should be locked up and fined. I shudder to think what will become of little Antigua if these little scoundrels aren’t roped in before they become more rotten. Talk half, lef half.
@Talk half lef half.
Your first sentence sums it up perfectly. The rest of your post should be implemented forthwith but we know it won’t happen. The ram goat fathers will forever continue to sow their seeds here, there and everywhere, then brag and boast about their conquests. When it comes to being responsible fathers they are rarely to be seen or sometimes even heard of again, hence there is no role model for their offspring to look up to and emulate and the consequences as we have just been told of is typical of the bitter fruit that the seeds produce.
It seems some even want government of either colour to take responsibility for the upbringing of their offspring. Guess it’s the modern thinking. How sad.
In order to deter criminality, you have to have penalties in place that make potential criminals easily decide that it’s too big a risk. Do you know how you stop a repeat offender from driving a getaway car or using a gun or knife or opening people’s windows to rob homes? You amputate their hands. How many youth will dream of robbing and attacking people if they know it could cost them their hands? Food for thought.
I totally agree with you Eld, it is very difficult to commit a crime with one hand, especially if the hand that is chopoff is the strong hand. Government need to move quickly to prevent the country form becoming a wild wild west.
The way I have seen this matter.Today’s children,tomorrow’s criminals.These matters of the young people and gangs needs to be curtailed now in the SAFEST PLACE IN THE CARIBBEAN.Gaston Browne,as the Prime Minister,you need to take the lead by example in these matters.Grays Farm and Point have always been at loggerheads for decades now.The Senior and respected persons in both communities.They need to get together and have a meeting to address youth issues and behaviors IN THE COMMUNITIES.
What the hell that have to do with ABLP or UPP ? That is why crime will never stop in Antigua. People giving their views as to how to tackle the violence among the young criminals they called children and all some can come up with is politics this and politics that. If this ignorance don’t stop among those young criminals government will come and go and it will remain the same. These young criminals they call children must be tried in a court of Law as adults before vigilante justice take over. Jail them as adults.
There are always those persons who will use any opportunity to display their violent and criminal intent. Regrettably we are not accustomed to this in Antigua. We have long hosted these fetes and jump up in a peaceful and cordial manner. We have now come to the point where the police might have to do random searches on selective patrons attending these fetes and jams. Safety is a must or we will be losing our ability to go out and have some clean fun.
I would like this question answered. Was any one of these 11-14 yr. old a Chinese? Syrian? European? Waiting. When that’s answered, then ask yourself why.
I am also interested in finding out if they are from nuclear families.
Waiting
Caribbean lady you sound clean. Three cheers to you. When Audley Phillip say we not accustom to this in Antigua what does he mean ? Nearly all there young boy involving in this criminal behavior are Antiguan children and not Mars, Jupita or children from Lybia. Wake up people and call a spade a spade.
Some of the most dangerous people who lived antigua was eurpeans dont come with that
I remembered the days of wars between Grays Farm and Point Iron Bands at Carnivals.I really though all of the hatred and competitiveness were washed away.Now I am reading about this now.Are they starting a new war between the Communities?
I too is no fan of the Pm ,but he did the right thing by calling the big men in attendance to tackle them to children. Too often big men and women stand by and watch boys and girls get into fights and all they do is take out their cells and record. Time for all of us to take collective responsibility. Our children that are well behave
can be attached because they go to a particular school. Our grandchildren can be attached because they have on a particular uniform. I listened to the head teachers of two secondary schools on the radio recently. Schools football games had to be stopped prematurely because of these tugs. Some of them already out of school and put on the school uniform. We need to set short term goals- stiffer penalties. What about compulsory Cadet and military service. Learning trades and civic pride. We pay money for every thing-like the planting of the palms and oil refinery road . Let the cadets be involved in this type of services.
We need to have the police and the army in numbers , out at these events. If we have to make amendments yo the laws to all the army to be able to arrest these young criminals, well let’s do so.
Let’s set educational programs as long term solutions. The youth are the future of our nation. They can wipe out all our progress over night with violence. We don’t have a minute to waste- let’s act swiftly.
PM you need to show respect to the opposition in parliament , like on the budget debate, so that in time like these you can work together.
This incident in his constituency is a reflection of what is going on in the entire country. So all of the apologists, and even Gaston himself , that keep posting how great this country is doing, must now accept that they are the lying ones. And, those that are inclined to believe must now realize the truth that the country is dying under ABLP.
Well said @ Zackie 👏🏾, many Antiguans are in denial about what’s happening in the country at present, and they do not believe that Emperor Browne – HAS NO CLOTHES …
These kids need a public flogging. Then they should be sent to the juvenile facility to learn to behave and given counselling. Hopefully they will be shamed by the public flogging. The parents, especially the fathers, should be held responsible and fined for their criminal juvenile children.
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