The Antigua and Barbuda Chamber of Commerce has announced plans to address mounting security concerns following the fatal shooting of businessman George “Charlie” Barnes outside his Ottos New Town home last week.
The Chamber’s Executive Director, Martin Cave, said the organisation will convene a meeting of its members to discuss how businesses have been affected by a rise in violent crime and robberies. The aim, he said, is to generate “concrete solutions” to present to the authorities.
“We need to have a meeting of all membership to understand exactly how the business community has been impacted by the proliferation of crime,” Cave told Observer Media. “We’re hoping to have some concrete solutions that we can present to the authorities… Can we work in concert to address the scourge that we have?”
Chamber Director Celia Samuel added that business owners are increasingly uneasy. “We do not feel safe,” she said, calling for increased police patrols, wider use of security cameras, and deeper collaboration between government and the private sector.
The Chamber’s announcement coincides with a government initiative to install an island-wide surveillance system. Prime Minister Gaston Browne confirmed that negotiations with providers are in their final stages, with 200 cameras expected to be deployed in the first phase.
Both Cave and Samuel welcomed the development but stressed the need for broader measures to restore a sense of safety for the business community and the wider public.
