Turner Says Bathlodge Shooting Exposes Urgent Need for Tougher Firearm Sentences

The killing of a young mother in Bathlodge has sharpened the question of whether Antigua and Barbuda’s justice system is doing enough to keep repeat gun offenders off the streets, Minister of Social and Urban Transformation Rawdon Turner told Parliament.

Speaking in the House of Representatives during debate on the Firearms (Amendment) Bill, Turner pointed to reports that a young man accused in the shooting had been on bail for a firearm offence. He said the allegation, if borne out, showed why Parliament needed to act on sentencing.

“Anybody with common sense in this country can’t tell me that something is not wrong with the system,” Turner said.

The Bathlodge attack claimed the life of Saquania Anthony and left two other people wounded, including a child who was shot in the face. Turner described the lasting harm to the child and the loss of a mother as consequences that could not be brushed aside in a debate about offenders’ rights. His comments about the accused remain allegations; the charges have not been determined by a court.

Turner argued that maximum penalties already exist in law but have not given the public confidence that serious firearm crimes will draw sufficiently severe sentences. He said the proposed minimums would send a clear warning to people who carry guns to terrorise communities.

“If you don’t put it down, whatever the prescribed maximum for your offence, you’re going to jail for at least 50 per cent,” he told the House, describing his understanding of the amendment’s effect.

The minister also pressed for greater transparency when a judge imposes a sentence below a prescribed minimum. He said the reasons should be recorded so the public can understand the decision, particularly in cases where a sentence appears difficult to reconcile with the seriousness of the crime.

Turner acknowledged concerns about Parliament interfering with judicial authority but rejected the idea that the branches of government should leave a failing response to gun violence untouched. “No arm of government, whether it’s the Parliament or the judiciary, the executive, has the right to stop the citizens of this country from living in peace,” he said.

He cited Jamaican firearm sentencing cases as examples of how minimum terms and judicial decisions have been examined by appellate courts. He also said he had pushed strongly within the government for minimum sentences to be brought before Parliament.

For Turner, the debate was personal as well as legislative. A licensed firearm holder himself, he described the fear of getting out of a vehicle and walking into a home while worrying about an armed attack. He said residents should be able to enter a shop to buy a bottle of water without wondering whether a robbery or shooting will erupt.

The minister addressed prevention, too. Responding to points raised about social services, he referred to the work of the government’s family and social services and youth affairs departments, while urging parents to take an active role in guiding their children.

But his central appeal to Parliament was immediate: the violence in Bathlodge and the fear it has intensified, he argued, demand consequences strong enough to deter armed offenders and protect the public.