By Elesha George
The Cabinet has rejected a proposal by Police Commissioner Atlee Rodney which aimed to introduce special legislation to grant the police the authority to declare a limited state of emergency.
Commissioner Rodney had publicly highlighted the potential benefits of this amendment during a recent interview on national television. He argued that it would empower the police to respond effectively to volatile situations by isolating and securing localised zones where disturbances had arisen.
The proposal, which is considered a pivotal part of broader efforts to enhance the governance of the police force, has been met with skepticism by Cabinet members.
Ambassador Lionel Hurst, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, conveyed the Cabinet’s stance on the matter saying: “The Cabinet is of the view that in a large place like Jamaica, which is 100 times as large as Antigua, you could indeed limit the state of emergency in some particular area that might even be as large as Antigua and Barbuda itself. But … just in the discussions, I don’t think there was any support for the idea of a limited state of emergency.”
According to Hurst, the use of limited states of emergency has been sparing in Antigua and Barbuda, and the Cabinet believes that alternative methods can be employed to maintain law and order within the state.
“We don’t like it in the first place; this state of emergency because it’s a deprivation of rights during that time, and who wants their rights quashed even for a short period of time? Nobody,” he added.
While the Cabinet acknowledged Commissioner Rodney’s expertise in law enforcement matters, they maintained their reservations about the proposed amendment.
“It isn’t a tool on which we rely to ensure that there is social cohesion. We would much rather rely on churches, and religion and common sense and even the threat of arrest,” he added.
Meanwhile, as part of plans to update the Police Act, the Police Commissioner also intends to cover an expanded use of modern non-lethal weapons like mace and tasers to safely de-escalate situations.