LOVELL: Water should be priority, not water cannons

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United Progressive Party leader Harold Lovell has commented on government’s plan to purchase water cannons for use in Antigua and Barbuda.

National Security Minister and Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin said that the acquisition and use of water cannons will soon be taken before the Cabinet for approval.

This comes just a week after a number of ‘Freedom Fighters’ and innocent bystanders were doused with tear gas and shot with rubber bullets during a protest on August 8.

Benjamin said that a debriefing took place after the event “and it was thought proper to make it available to the police so there can be a different option rather than tear gassing and the using of rubber bullets”.

 

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15 COMMENTS

  1. This is an interesting comment from a man who inexplicably paid US$94 million for an airport expansion that should have cost US$40 million. AND the additional cost did not get Parliamentary approval, as is the LAW as outlined in the Finance and Administration Act.

    Let’s go, Mr. Lovell, let’s open the conversation. Or do you prefer public inquiries?

  2. People of Antigua and Barbuda this is something we need not worry about, because they can fix the water 💦 problem in the country. The clown 🤡 must plan to piss in the trucks to fill them, and looking at him it seems like an easy task.

  3. Spend the money on training the police. No use giving them new equipment to repeat another embarrassing situation.

  4. That is what racist America did the black people during the civil rights struggle. WTF!
    What is Antigua becoming? Pay attention to the Apartheid system that’s being implemented to punish those that doesn’t consent to used as lab rats. Ultimately, this is about the quest of the global elites to control humanity and to get rid of the majority of the PLEBS — whom they refer to as the “useless eaters and useless breeders.”

  5. I don’t think WATER should be an election topic because Antiguans have heard it all. I have never known Antigua to not have water issues….and no government has been able to deliver on any water promises. So please….leave that one off the table and let’s go again.

  7. An as-sine idea to buy water cannons. Antigua is now playing by the Chinese Communist Party playbook to suppress opposite viewpoints!

    I thought is was about the “love of the people.”

    Use the money and fix the broken water pipes.

  8. Lovell the FORENSIC AUDIT is in Progress. The results will be out shortly. Together with the buses of which you are facing CRIMINAL charges in the HIGH COURT. How can Lovell be leading a Political Party and facing CRIMINAL CHARGES ???? Just asking. 1735 will be your future home LOVELL. Stop the NONSENSE LOVELL. Talk to your members to stop the Picket. Not good for the DASHBOARD.

    • QUINCY it would be more likely to see Gaston Browne goes to 1735 if he loses the next general election than Harold Lovell for the bus charges or airport runway forensic audit. Perhaps Gaston would be even lucky to have Maria Browne in 1735 with him so the need for conjugal visits would not be necessary.

  9. People always learn from their mistakes…. let’s hope that the commissioner of police & the Attorney will capitalize on their errors….

  10. We need speed o meters and breathalyzer so police can give other tickets different from parking tickets. Be more proactive and not jus wait until accident done happen to come on the scene. Maybe the covid death that they record that died in an accident would have been a ligit one or he would be still alive. WHO KNOWS?🤔

  11. While I maintain that the use of water cannons would be more non-lethal as a means of riot control than tear gas and rubber bullets, it can also cause damage to people depending on the proximity of the rioter to the water blast. However, in the circumstance of our scarcity of water, is the government going to use sea water or country pond water as the cannons? While the government acts invariably without common sense I doubt it, since the sea water would cause corrosion to the equipment and country pond water is supposed to be very contaminated. I await the next response of Gaston Browne and Cutie Benjamin on the matter since they are the ones pushing the water cannon idea.

    • @Charles Tabor…since, water cannons and dogs go hand in glove, they can add the dogs too, don’t you think, as a means of crowd control?

      In a peaceful Nation such as Antigua, Barbuda & Redonda that don’t have violent protests or hardly any protest’s at all, I wholeheartedly support Harold Lovell on this one.

      He’s still #Mr.Stoic. He could use some more #Grass #Roots in his public persona, aura, presentation.

  12. RAS SMOOD I am on the same page with you and Harold with this one. While I maintain that water cannon is less lethal than tear gas and rubber bullets, I was just trying to highlight the contradiction of relying on water cannon in a water scare country. I totally agree that protests in Antigua have been traditionally peaceful and all of these costly riot control equipment and paraphernalia are a waste of money. With respect to the use of dogs as a crowd control method, I know they say Gaston is crazy, but I do not think that neither himself or the Attorney General could be that crazy.

Comments are closed.