标签： Antigua and Barbuda

In a significant court ruling, Gavin Otto, a clergyman, has been sentenced to a prison term of 6 years, 1 month, and 24 days for orchestrating a sophisticated fraud operation spanning nearly two years. Presiding Justice Ann Marie Smith delivered the sentence after Otto pleaded guilty to all 19 criminal charges brought against him.

The fraudulent activities, which occurred between February 2021 and October 2022, comprised 13 counts of obtaining money by false pretences and six counts of fraudulent conversion. Court proceedings revealed that Otto systematically deceived victims by accepting payments for construction materials and shipping containers that were never supplied. Additionally, he issued numerous cheques from his personal account knowing they were backed by insufficient funds.

Multiple service stations fell victim to his scheme when they cashed these cheques, all of which were subsequently returned due to non-sufficient funds. The investigation culminated in October 2022 when police executed a search warrant at Otto’s residence. During the operation, Otto attempted to flee by scaling a fence but was apprehended by officers. Law enforcement officials successfully recovered critical evidence including transaction receipts and cheque stubs directly connecting him to the financial crimes.

The sentencing reflects the calculated nature of offences that exploited trust within commercial transactions, highlighting concerns about financial fraud within community settings.

In a significant corporate social responsibility initiative, PDV Caribe Antigua and Barbuda Ltd. has contributed $6,000 to The Care Project, a government-operated facility dedicated to supporting individuals with severe disabilities. The ceremonial handover occurred on Tuesday at the site of the former Paediatric Ward within Holberton Hospital.

The donation was formally presented by the company’s General Manager, Jellette Ralph, and accepted by Matron Aldine Robins and Operations Manager Sandy Daniel. This financial injection is earmarked for the procurement of essential supplies crucial for the facility’s daily operations and the well-being of its residents.

The Care Project serves as a vital long-term residential sanctuary for citizens grappling with profound physical or mental disabilities. A notable aspect of its mission is providing for individuals who have been abandoned and are entirely dependent on state support. Initially established as a pediatric facility, its scope has expanded over time to accommodate a diverse age range, with current residents spanning from 10 to 48 years old.

General Manager Ralph articulated that the contribution is a manifestation of the company’s foundational commitment to ‘acknowledge our shared humanity and provide service to others with dignity.’ She further issued a call to action, encouraging other members of the business community to follow suit and lend their support to such critical social causes.

PDV Caribe, which oversees the operational aspects of the PetroCaribe Energy Agreement, maintains a established history of philanthropic engagement. Its support extends to various social programs, notably the People’s Benefit Programme. The company recently marked a significant milestone, celebrating its 20th anniversary in September, underscoring its longstanding presence and commitment to the region.

A recent theft incident at the popular Valley Church Beach in Antigua has reached a judicial conclusion, resulting in divergent outcomes for two individuals charged. Damien Henry, a 24-year-old resident of Bathlodge, has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after entering a guilty plea for larceny. The ruling was delivered by Senior Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel, finalizing the case against him.

In a contrasting development, Terry Williams, a 20-year-old from Nut Grove who was jointly accused, was absolved of all charges. The court formally withdrew the allegations against Williams, declaring him not guilty of any involvement in the criminal act.

The incident unfolded on a Tuesday afternoon when two tourists reported the theft of their personal bag while they were engaged in swimming activities. According to official reports, a witness promptly alerted security personnel after observing an individual seize the bag and rapidly depart the scene in an orange Honda Fit vehicle.

Law enforcement agencies from both Bolans and Johnson’s Point police stations initiated a coordinated response to the theft report. Their efforts culminated in the successful interception of the suspect vehicle in the Johnson’s Point area shortly after the crime was committed. Police apprehended both men present in the vehicle and successfully recovered the stolen bag with all its contents intact, returning the property to the rightful owners.

The case highlights ongoing concerns regarding tourist security at popular Caribbean destinations while demonstrating the effectiveness of inter-station police cooperation in responding to criminal activities. The judicial outcome illustrates the system’s capacity to both punish confirmed offenders while protecting the rights of those wrongly accused.

Antigua and Barbuda has initiated a sweeping evaluation of its national disaster resilience framework. The National Office of Disaster Services (NODS), in a strategic partnership with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), has commenced a Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) audit. This critical, cyclical assessment represents a foundational effort to meticulously gauge the nation’s preparedness across the four essential pillars of disaster management: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

Under the direction of NODS Director Sherrod James, the audit is designed to deliver an objective analysis of the country’s current operational standing. The initiative will pinpoint requisite resources and strategic initiatives necessary for a substantive enhancement of national disaster strategies. To facilitate this process, CDEMA, in collaboration with the University of the West Indies (UWI), has procured a local consultant to develop a specialized audit instrument—a structured questionnaire deployed to a wide array of national stakeholders.

The collated data from these engagements will yield a holistic and unbiased overview of existing capabilities. All compiled intelligence will be integrated into a centralized, standardized database. This repository will serve as a critical benchmark for measuring the nation’s advancements and setbacks in disaster management over recent years.

This systematic review is expressly engineered to identify operational deficiencies, chronic challenges, and nascent threats, thereby informing a proactive and forward-looking national strategy. The ultimate objective is to utilize the audit’s findings to comprehensively upgrade NODS’s existing multi-year work program. This endeavor is poised to culminate in a significantly more robust and resilient national apparatus, capable of confronting future disaster scenarios with enhanced efficacy and coordination.

On what would have been her 75th birthday, the memory of Sonia Benjamin, a revered public servant who passed away last year, is being honored through an expanded charitable initiative bearing her name. The late Benjamin, remembered for her distinguished service in the Royal Police Force of Antigua & Barbuda and her devout membership at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, continues to inspire through her legacy of generosity and unwavering commitment to community welfare.

Building upon the success of a previous outreach conducted in December 2024, Jessica Berman has announced a significant expansion of this year’s ‘Remembering Sonia Benjamin Christmas Outreach.’ The initiative aims to extend its reach to a greater number of households and individuals during the upcoming holiday season, embodying Benjamin’s core principles of duty and compassionate action.

The revitalized program will feature a trio of core charitable activities meticulously designed to provide both essential support and festive joy. These include operational soup kitchens dedicated to serving warm meals to the underprivileged, organized distributions of food packages containing essential groceries to struggling families, and the giving of gifts to spread seasonal cheer.

Organizers emphasize that the enlarged scope of the outreach is a direct reflection of Sonia Benjamin’s lifelong dedication to uplifting others. The public is being encouraged to support the endeavor, ensuring its impact resonates with the same spirit of service that defined her life.

A major statutory corporation in Antigua and Barbuda faces internal turmoil and widespread concern as reports emerge regarding the potential reinstatement of a supervisor terminated nearly two years ago following multiple substantiated allegations of sexual harassment. This development surfaces ironically during the nation’s observance of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, drawing sharp criticism from female employees who view the move as a severe regression in workplace safety and gender equality.

According to internal sources, the initial dismissal followed written complaints from five to six women who detailed a pattern of predatory behavior. The allegations included making unsolicited sexual advances, explicitly soliciting sexual favors in exchange for confirming employment contracts, and exploiting performance review meetings to coerce subordinates. Employees who resisted his advances reported subsequent retaliation through deliberately poor performance evaluations. Further complaints alleged he routinely consumed pornographic material on corporate devices during work hours.

Following his dismissal, the former supervisor escalated the matter to the Industrial Court, where the case remains pending and unresolved. However, recent negotiations involving government officials have reportedly included discussions about his return to the organization. This possibility has ignited fears among staff, particularly women, who argue that reinstatement would fundamentally undermine the corporation’s integrity and its commitment to protecting employees.

The situation is further exacerbated by the corporation’s demographic reality: its senior management team remains exclusively male. Employees note that this lack of gender diversity has historically made it difficult for complaints from women to receive adequate attention and action. A staff member, speaking on condition of anonymity, condemned the potential reinstatement as “a demoralizing step backward” that would signal tolerance for misconduct and erode trust in internal protection mechanisms. The controversy highlights the ongoing challenges in combating workplace harassment and ensuring accountable governance within public institutions.