Government Considers Using CCTV Cameras to Issue Traffic Tickets

The Antigua and Barbuda government is considering expanding its national CCTV surveillance programme to include automated traffic enforcement, but says legislative changes and supporting technology would be needed before cameras could be used to issue citations.

The possibility was raised during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, where Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant was asked whether the government had considered systems used in other countries that automatically issue tickets for speeding and red-light violations captured by surveillance cameras.

Merchant said the concept is under consideration but cautioned that the country is not yet ready to implement such a system.

“They are under consideration,” he said, adding that officials also recognize the practical challenges of introducing automated enforcement, including public acceptance and the administrative systems needed to support it.

He said any move toward camera-generated traffic citations would require the creation of a robust database capable of tracking vehicle owners and producing sufficient evidence to support enforcement actions.

Merchant also noted that amendments to existing legislation would likely be necessary before police could rely on CCTV footage to issue traffic tickets without direct interaction with motorists.

He pointed to provisions under Antigua and Barbuda’s Development Control Authority legislation, where notices are considered legally served once there is proof of service, regardless of whether the recipient claims to have received them. A similar legal framework, he suggested, could be adopted for automated traffic enforcement.

The discussion comes as the government continues the rollout of its national CCTV surveillance programme. Cabinet was advised this week that 42 strategic locations have been selected for high-definition cameras across Antigua and Barbuda, with installation expected to be completed by the final week of August. The cameras are intended to strengthen crime prevention and will be integrated with the Royal Police Force’s existing surveillance network.

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