‘Chantel Alert’ will utilise existing emergency messaging system

‘Chantel Alert’ System to Be Introduced for Missing Persons, PM Says

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced plans to launch a new emergency alert system for missing persons, using the government’s CAP.CAP platform and potentially naming the initiative the Chantel Alert in honour of a high-profile disappearance.

Speaking on Pointe FM’s Browne and Browne programme, Browne said the technology is already in place and capable of pushing real-time alerts to the public.

“We have the platform, CAP.CAP, that we can use to send out these messages by SMS,” he explained. “So when people go missing, there could be an immediate national alert. It’s something that we can call the Chantel Alert.”

The proposed name pays tribute to Chantel Crump.

The Prime Minister said the move is part of wider efforts to strengthen public safety tools and ensure that citizens are quickly informed when someone vanishes, especially in cases involving children or vulnerable individuals.

In addition to launching the alert system, Browne said the government intends to amend the law that currently requires a 24-hour waiting period before classifying someone as missing.

“I spoke to the Attorney General, and we’ll be amending that law,” he said. “There must be an immediate alert—especially where minors are concerned.”

Public calls for a dedicated alert system have intensified in recent years, particularly following international models such as the Amber Alert in the United States. The Chantel Alert would represent the first such mechanism in Antigua and Barbuda.

Browne did not give a firm timeline for rollout but indicated that the alert system could be implemented swiftly given that the CAP.CAP platform is already in use for other types of national emergencies.

“This is something we will move on,” he affirmed.

The government is expected to outline further details in the coming weeks, including how the alerts will be triggered and coordinated across law enforcement and media platforms.

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