Following attack on Bolans family, MP Simon tells Minister Benjamin to get real and deal with crime

United Progressive Party MP Kelvin “Shugy” Simon is extending prayers and
concern for a Bolans family who fell victim to a vicious attack by armed
robbers, and calling on the Browne Administration to address the spike in
crime.
 
The family of Hezekiah Thomas was pounced upon by two masked gunmen in
the early hours of Thursday, May 30.
 
While the bandits did not make off with anything significant, Thomas was
kicked in the face and fired at by one of the gunmen when he fought back,
while a young relative was bound with duct tape during the harrowing ordeal.
Thomas sustained injuries to his eyes, head, and neck. He was treated at the
hospital and discharged.

The MP says he had the opportunity to visit the victim, who was still in pain
and distress from what can be described only as a nightmare.
He says it pains him to know what the 63-year-old man, his 73-year-old wife,
his 68-year-old sister-in-law, and an 11-year-old family member went
through.

Simon describes Thomas as one of the hardworking elders in the Bolans
community, and says the act against his family is unfortunate and
reprehensible.

What is amazing to him, he notes, is that the criminal act occurred near a busy
main road.
 
Simon accuses the Administration of having left the citizens and residents to
fend for themselves, and it appears that criminals are at war with innocent
people.
 
According to the MP, “There are too many unsolved crimes and the
Government seems unconcerned about the reality of our nation’s brutal
violent-crime crisis.” 
Therefore, he is calling on Minister of National Security “Cutie” Benjamin to
mobilize all stakeholders immediately to properly assess the problem and
find solutions.
 
Instead of Benjamin focusing on how much safer Antigua and Barbuda is
relative to other countries, Simon says he should “get real and deal with the
problem.”

He says the time has come to end the “sweet talk” and, instead, address the
many promises that have been made to upgrade the country’s crime-fighting
capacity.
 
The MP says there is a need for a comprehensive plan to tackle the crime
scourge and to restore hope and comfort to the respective communities.
 
However, he notes that this can be achieved only through stakeholder
collaboration in real time.

Simon believes the fight against crime must be holistic and should include
prevention, detection, conviction, and rehabilitation, and he warns there can
be no prosperity without safety and security.