Late August, CCTV Completion Date

The government’s expanded CCTV surveillance network is expected to be operational by the end of August, with high-definition cameras being installed at 42 locations across Antigua and Barbuda as authorities seek to strengthen crime prevention and public safety.

Public Safety Minister Sir Steadroy Benjamin updated Cabinet on the project this week, reporting that installation is progressing on schedule and is expected to be completed during the final week of August. The cameras will be added to the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda’s existing surveillance system.

The expansion comes as the police continue to rely on CCTV footage in a growing number of criminal investigations, with surveillance cameras increasingly providing evidence in robberies, shootings, traffic collisions and other offences. Authorities have also expanded their use of technology in recent years as part of wider efforts to improve policing and public safety.

Reportedly, the 42 sites were selected following assessments of traffic patterns, commercial activity, public spaces and other areas considered important to national security and law enforcement operations. Once completed, the system is expected to enhance real-time monitoring, assist emergency response operations and provide investigators with additional evidentiary material for criminal prosecutions.

Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing that the new cameras will complement the surveillance infrastructure already operated by the police.

“The new cameras will boost the current stock of cameras that are operated by the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda,” Merchant said. “These new cameras will be merged into their system of surveillance.”

During the briefing, Merchant also disclosed that government is considering whether the expanded CCTV network could eventually be used to enforce traffic laws, including issuing citations to motorists caught speeding or running red lights without the need for a police officer to stop the vehicle.

He cautioned, however, that such a system would require changes to existing legislation, a reliable database of vehicle owners and sufficient technological safeguards before it could be introduced.

“It’s a work in progress,” Merchant said, adding that while the concept has merit, it would require stronger surveillance capabilities and legal provisions to support enforcement.