By Jackson Peter Spencer

There is no doubt that Leader of the Opposition Hon. Jamale Pringle has a great sense of respect and admiration for Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne.

In fact a few month ago, in the lead up the leadership contest of the United Progressive Party, Mr. Pringle stated emphatically that he appreciated the Prime Minister’s no nonsense approach to leadership, particularly that ‘he is not afraid to take the bull by the horns”.

The recent upsurge in crime has ignited a new national debate. The Prime Minister never being one to shy away from his duties and responsibilities addressed the nation on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 outlining his Government’s commitment to defeating the criminal elements in society and ensuring that Antigua and Barbuda remains a safe and secure country for its citizens and residents.

Leader of the Opposition Pringle upon hearing of the pending address by the Prime Minister, decided (more than likely based on the jockeying of his political handlers), to give an address of his own. His Monday, August 19, 2024 “address’ was possibly aimed at adding his party’s voice to the current situation. But alas, this proved to be a comedy of errors.

Prime Minister Browne on the other hand, proved to be a LEADER. He stood in solidarity with his people, recognizing the current situation and seeking workable solutions to win this fight that no one wants but everyone should be a part of. This was reminiscent of his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, where lives and livelihoods were protected, instilling confidence in the people of this nation that it is indeed ‘safer with Labour”.

Thinking that he was scoring some kind of political points, Hon. Pringle likened the Prime Minister to casting himself as Batman, “swooping in to save the city.”

The Leader of the Opposition continued by chastising the Commissioner of Police, while defending the judiciary, describing the Prime Minister’s call for a reevaluation of sentencing guidelines as an attack on said body.

This irresponsible, immature and frivolous comments by the Leader of the Opposition demonstrates to the people of Antigua and Barbuda his unreadiness, inability and unlikelihood to be Prime Minister.

Strangely, while Hon. Pringle has called for a national symposium to “come up with a whole-of-society approach to the ongoing crime issue”, his address to the nation was done from “the political platform”. Interestingly, there have been numerous examples of the UPP giving excuses and reasons for crime.

In deed only one political party in Antigua and Barbuda has a once convicted murderer within its senior ranks.

Likening the Prime Minister to Batman is not the rebuke that Hon. Pringle intended it to be. Batman is a superhero, known for swooping in as the last resort when all else fails, to save the day.

Prime Minister Browne’s address to the nation reassured citizens and residents of the Antigua and Barbuda that his ABLP Administration is committed to tackling and defeating criminal elements in society.

While pledging all the necessary resources to the security agencies, the Prime Minister called on the judiciary to impose harsher penalties as a deterrent to repeat and new criminal offenders and to remove career criminals from the public domain.

Criticizing the Prime Minister’s words as an attack on the judiciary clearly shows that Hon. Pringle does not comprehend the seriousness of the current situation.

He views this situation as an opportunity to gain political advantage, but I am assured that the people of Antigua and Barbuda are not as ignorant as he who wishes to lead them.

I am further confident that the Gaston Browne Administration will defeat the criminals. These lawless rudiments will learn in one way or the other that their day of reckoning is near. Batman will save the day, good will always prevail over evil.