Prime Minister Gaston Browne has issued a stark warning to criminals, declaring that tougher laws and uncompromising enforcement will form a central pillar of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party's 2026 manifesto. According to Antigua.news, Browne made the announcement at the party's official manifesto launch on Monday.
"The Renaissance will have zero tolerance for criminals… gangs, narcotics trafficking, gun violence, and domestic violence," Browne said, signalling that his administration intends to take a hardline approach to the country's escalating crime problem.
The Prime Minister indicated that legislative changes are forthcoming, designed to strengthen the nation's capacity to combat criminal activity. "The laws will be further strengthened, and those who threaten our nation's stability will face the full force of the law," he warned.
Browne also directed a message at young people, urging them to step away from crime and pursue more constructive paths. "There is a better road… and we will make that road wider, so choose wisely," he said.
His remarks come against a backdrop of rising gun violence across Antigua and Barbuda, with a series of recent shootings and firearm seizures underscoring the growing presence of illegal weapons — and the particular danger they pose to the country's youth.
The most recent incident occurred late Sunday night in Grays Farm, where a man was shot and left seriously injured. He remains hospitalised after sustaining a gunshot wound to the lower back.
Weeks earlier, four young people between the ages of 16 and 20 were injured in a separate shooting near Joe Mike's, raising urgent concerns about the vulnerability of younger residents to escalating violence.
Those incidents follow the tragic deaths of two teenagers in Villa — 17-year-old Omarie Lewis and 18-year-old Brianna Clarke — whose killings sent shockwaves across the country and intensified public demands for decisive government action.
Even as authorities increase enforcement efforts, recent operations indicate that illegal firearms continue to circulate within communities, raising questions about the effectiveness of tougher penalties already introduced as a deterrent.
