Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Gaston Browne
Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Gaston Browne has defended plans to increase minimum sentences for serious crimes, including gun offences, as the government prepares to take the measures to Parliament next week.
His comments, posted on social media Wednesday, coincided with a protest in Jamaica by lawyers against mandatory sentences under this country's firearms law.
Prime Minister Brown says, while the human and constitutional rights of all and the independence of the judiciary will be respected, the constitutional rights of criminals cannot take precedence over the safety of the citizenry.
Mr. Browne accused the Caribbean judiciary of developing what he called a "lenient sentencing orthodoxy" that undermines public safety.
He argued that short sentences allow repeat offenders to resume criminal activity and place further pressure on law enforcement.
Prime Minister Brown, while acknowledging that lawyers and judges have important roles, asserted that Parliament and the Executive are ultimately responsible for public safety.
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