Legislation establishing minimum prison terms for serious firearm offences and sexual crimes against children is being prepared for Parliament, Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced Saturday.

Browne said legal advice is being sought to craft the measure in a way that signals a meaningful sentencing floor without completely removing judicial discretion. He argued that the law must be strong enough to prevent serious offences from attracting terms which the public regards as disproportionately low.

The Prime Minister has proposed a 15-year statutory minimum for the most serious sexual offences against children and defined serious firearm crimes, with life imprisonment remaining available at the upper end.

He said the government is studying approaches used elsewhere in the Caribbean, including Jamaica, as it tries to reduce the risk of a constitutional challenge and achieve cooperation across Parliament, the executive and the judiciary.

Browne warned that the reform would be futile if it were immediately undermined through litigation or sentencing practices that defeat Parliament’s intention. He called for the branches of government to move in ‘lockstep’ while respecting their separate constitutional roles.