The recent wave of criminal activities highlighted by a brazen daylight rape of a
woman this week, has caught the attention of the Cabinet and it has decided to take
decisive action to deal with the matter.
At its regular meeting on Wednesday, the Cabinet summoned the country’s
security apparatus to engage in a discussion that will come up with actions to stop
the wave of gun-related crimes and other criminal acts being perpetrated over the
past several weeks.
In attendance at the meeting were the heads of the security services and support
staff, totaling twelve officials. They were invited to address the issue of youth
violence, robberies by young males bearing guns, and the report recently, of the
rape of a young mother during the daytime, a Cabinet source reported.
According to the source the Commissioner of Police, Atlee Rodney informed that
sixty-five percent of all reported crimes occur in the City of St. John’s; thirty-five
reported robberies occurred for the year thus far, and nine illegal guns have been
taken from the streets in 2023, to date. There have not been many incidents of
youth violence since the execution of a plan put forward by the uniformed bodies.
However, the police have concluded that older criminals are using young men to
commit crimes. The police propose the introduction of CCTV cameras in and
around St. John’s so that images of criminals can be captured. The police also
proposed a VHF radio system to reduce the response time after a crime has taken
place.
The cost of the radio is estimated at USD350,000. The Commissioner also reported
that with just a little more than 600 active duty officers and about 200 fire police, a
little more than 2000 police recruits are required to meet the force strength that
would be able to adequately address the crime situation throughout the nation.
Additionally, the Chief of Defense Staff of the Antigua and Barbuda Defense
Force (ABDF) Colonel Telbert Benjamin informed that 120 soldiers are required to
fulfill the calculated couchant of soldiers for Antigua and Barbuda’s population.
He also reported that not only an increase in manpower, but VHF radios, military
assets, and training are also required.
The source stated that the Cabinet thanked the Security Officials for their several
reports and for pointing to the need to successfully fight crime. The Cabinet also
committed to immediately allocating the necessary resources needed for the
security forces, so that they may be better able to tackle the crime situation in the
country and to bring it under control.
