Business community to support anti-crime efforts

The business community is assuring the government that it stands ready to assist in
the national effort to bring criminal activities under control.
This, as a businessman was shot and killed in a brazen daylight robbery at a mini-
mart located at the stoplight at the corner of DeSousa and All Saints Road on
Monday afternoon.
Attorney General, Steadroy Benjamin informed his Cabinet colleagues on
Wednesday, that the business community has made it clear that its members are
ready to provide support to the government’s crime-fighting efforts.
“The assertions followed a meeting with the Syrian and Lebanese Communities on
Tuesday night. The community groups were attending a memorial service for a
murdered Syrian Businessman who was shot to death by a robber armed with an
illegal gun. Further talks will follow to fine-tune the precise methodologies that
will assist with the crime-fighting methods to be employed,” a spokesman for the
Cabinet said.
According to the spokesman the Cabinet also raised concerns over how illegal
guns are being smuggled into Antigua and Barbuda. To this end, the Cabinet has
advised law enforcement to increase their monitoring of the Air and Sea Ports and
generally to be on the lookout for illegal weapons entering the country.
The Cabinet has expressed its appreciation to the Royal Police Force of Antigua
and Barbuda for their speedy work in apprehending two suspects in the recent
murder. Additionally, the police also have two suspects in custody, in connection
with the recent Roti King Robbery.
Further developments also indicate that the police investigative team has been
doing excellent work, as it was revealed that in the case of the alleged rape of the
46-year-old woman, the police have five suspects in custody; one is 13, two are 15,
and two are 17 years of age. This incident drew a national outrage as it too
happened in broad daylight.