分类： society

On a recent Saturday, a wave of demands for cannabis policy change swept through the capital of Antigua and Barbuda, as dozens of members of the nation’s Rastafarian community gathered in peaceful demonstration outside St. John’s Police Station. The protest targeted the ongoing practice of jailing individuals convicted of non-violent, minor marijuana-related offenses, a policy that community leaders say has long violated both civil liberties and their group’s core religious and cultural traditions.

Dressed uniformly in white and bearing the distinctive red, gold, and green flags of the Rastafarian faith, demonstrators made their case to government and law enforcement officials, calling for an urgent shift in how authorities approach low-level cannabis violations. They emphasized that the current punitive legal framework is increasingly out of touch with the growing regional momentum toward decriminalization that has been building across the Caribbean in recent years.

According to statements from protest organizers, dozens of people remain behind bars in Antigua and Barbuda on cannabis charges, even as neighboring nations have relaxed their drug laws and moved away from mass incarceration for minor marijuana offenses. Beyond broader drug policy reform, the Rastafarian community is also pushing for formal legal recognition of cannabis’ central role in their religious practices, a status that has already been granted in several other Caribbean countries.

The core demand of the demonstration was a full legislative review of the nation’s existing cannabis laws, with protesters arguing that custodial sentences should never be the default response to minor marijuana-related incidents. Organizers made clear that Saturday’s gathering is just one step in a sustained, nationwide campaign to overhaul outdated drug legislation and secure full equal rights for Rastafarian residents across Antigua and Barbuda.

A resident of Bendals Village has received a 30-month prison sentence following a guilty plea to drug trafficking charges connected to a major cannabis seizure at Deep Water Harbour. Damar Stapleton’s sentencing was handed down Friday in the High Court by Justice John Spencer, after the defendant entered his guilty plea to cannabis trafficking charges on May 12.

The conviction traces back to a coordinated law enforcement operation conducted jointly by local police and Customs officials on March 8, 2024. During the targeted operation at the port, authorities discovered 41 pounds of cannabis hidden inside two unmarked shipping boxes. Investigators estimate the seized narcotics have a street value of roughly $246,000.

Stapleton remains before the courts on a separate set of drug charges tied to an alleged second smuggling attempt at Deep Water Harbour just five days after the first seizure. The March 13, 2024 incident sees the defendant accused of importing an additional 20 pounds of cannabis, with pending charges including possession of cannabis, possession with intent to transfer the controlled substance, and taking part in the illegal supply of the drug. A trial or further hearings for these outstanding charges are expected to be scheduled in coming months.

As Antigua and Barbuda prepares to mark its 2026 Centenarian Week, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has issued a heartfelt tribute to the nation’s residents who have reached 100 years of age or more, describing them as irreplaceable “living treasures” whose decades of sacrifice, quiet resilience and steady contribution laid the foundation for the modern country the population enjoys today. In his official message for the national observance, Browne pointed out that the collective life experience of the country’s centenarians adds up to more than 800 years of shared history. These individuals have borne witness to every major challenge, milestone and turning point that has defined Antigua and Barbuda’s journey of national development, from early struggles to key achievements that moved the country forward. “Today, we come together to celebrate remarkable people who have demonstrated extraordinary resilience over an entire century of life,” Browne stated. Beyond their long lifespans, the prime minister emphasized that centenarians personify core values that hold the nation together: hard-won wisdom, unshakable faith, steadfast perseverance, and an unwavering dedication to their families and local communities. Browne extended his sincere gratitude to these elders for their ongoing role in nation-building, noting that for generations, their efforts have strengthened both their own family units and the broader communities across the twin islands. In addition to his tribute, the prime minister made a formal pledge that the government will maintain and expand targeted support for the country’s older population. He stressed that it is a core national obligation to ensure all of Antigua and Barbuda’s centenarians can spend their later years in dignity, surrounded by respect, comfort and the love of their families and fellow citizens. Browne also used the occasion to call on all younger Antigua and Barbudans to set aside time during Centenarian Week to listen to the life stories and insights that centenarians have to share. He noted that the annual observance is far more than a celebration of long life: it is a chance to honor lives that have left a permanent, positive impact on every generation that followed. Closing his message, Browne conveyed congratulations and deep appreciation to every centenarian across the country on behalf of both the government and the people of Antigua and Barbuda, closing with a wish for continued good health, lasting happiness and peaceful days ahead.

As Antigua and Barbuda prepares to mark its annual Centenarians Week in 2026, the nation’s highest-ranking ceremonial representative has thrown his full support behind a groundbreaking new government program that delivers direct financial recognition to the country’s citizens who have lived for 100 years or more.

Governor General Sir Rodney Williams used a national address opening the celebratory week to praise the administration’s decision to allocate a one-time $10,000 grant to every qualifying centenarian, an unprecedented step in the island nation’s history of honoring its eldest residents. In his remarks, Sir Rodney framed centenarians as irreplaceable national treasures, arguing that their century-long lives hold profound, actionable lessons for younger Antiguans and Barbudans across core values including steadfast perseverance, unshakable faith, selfless sacrifice, and committed community service.

Over their lifetimes, Sir Rodney noted, these long-lived citizens have stood at the center of the country’s most transformative historical chapters. They weathered crippling economic downturns, survived devastating natural disasters that have repeatedly tested the island nation, adapted to rapid, world-altering shifts in technology, and witnessed the country’s slow, meaningful journey from centuries of colonial rule to full sovereign independence. Beyond historical context, he emphasized that the collective wisdom, hard-won experience, and relentless resilience of these elders remain a powerful source of inspiration for younger generations navigating their own social and economic challenges.

The Governor General stressed that he held particular enthusiasm for the new grant program, marking the first time the national government has put forward direct financial support to honor centenarians during the annual observance. He extended public commendation to the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation, as well as all other government and community stakeholders that helped bring the initiative from proposal to implementation. Sir Rodney described the program as far more than a financial gift: it is a tangible, public demonstration of the entire nation’s gratitude and deep respect for the contributions its eldest citizens have made across their lifetimes.

Beyond the new grant initiative, Sir Rodney also highlighted one of the country’s long-standing traditions of honoring centenarians: the delivery of official congratulatory messages from the British Sovereign to all citizens who reach their 100th birthday, and to those who mark subsequent birthdays beyond that milestone. He shared that he and his wife, Lady Williams, have had the distinct honor of personally delivering these royal greetings to dozens of centenarians across Antigua and Barbuda over his tenure in office, including those celebrating 101st, 102nd, and even more advanced birthdays.

Sir Rodney emphasized that Centenarians Week extends far beyond a simple celebration of long life. Instead, the annual observance serves as a moment to celebrate the enduring legacies that centenarians have built across the country, and to reaffirm the inherent value of the contributions that older generations have made to shape modern Antigua and Barbuda. He closed his address by issuing a call to action to all citizens and institutions across the nation, urging continued commitment to honoring, respecting, and caring for the elders who laid the foundation for the country’s current prosperity.

He concluded his national remarks by extending warm personal congratulations and sincere best wishes to every centenarian celebrating their place in the 2026 observance.