are we not a free country.i do not sag anymore but i will never tell a next man how to dress him self .whats next? ,no short skirts?.i if you have self respect you will carry your self accordingly.loo k people in their face and not at their ass crack.

This is another momemtum that should be taken seriously. As a tourism driven island which heavily depend on how attractive we are to the outside world and the absolute disgrace and non-appealing stance that this sagging pant issue has brought about; it would be wise to seriously consider this motion for law, but more importantly how it will be administered and enforced to have the impact that it was created to deliver. I say full force ahead with it.

I think law makers should better serve OUR time dealing with issues that specifically affect our country; one example is child abuse and molestation which is rampant in this country. I do not support the idiots who decide to advertise their drawers to the world. Is it offensive? Yes. Should it be against the law? NO. If it offends you so much, don't look. One of the beauties of living here is our fundamental right to wear what we want and express ourselves freely. What does the learned minister have to say to women who dress too provocatively? Do we make that unlawful too? Where does it end? Stop wasting precious time on trivial matters and do the people work.

Tenman, if you read over my comment you will notice that i never said that there wasn't any laws already on the books prohibiting buggery.... what i am saying is if we are fighting for sagging pants laws, we should fight for other laws alike, and keep the ones we already have like buggery

I RIGHT THERE WITH YOU.........THU MPS UP!!!! I am not sure if we will ever think outside the box and stop kick anything that is not within our comfort zone!!!

We all have choices and we need to understand what they are and use them accordingly.... .

DOESNT THE LAW MAKERS IN THIS FORSAKEN CRIME RIDEN PLACE GOT NOTHING ELSE TO LOBBY FOR???
What will happen when the next person petition to have issues such as "I find Justin white beard very disgusting, .....i find it disgusting that male wear earrings!!!
I guess cutie is starting to build a defense for one of his FURTURE
clients!!! SMH!!! Lets blame society for his behavior. they allowed him to wear sagging pants hence his ability to know right or wrong was not clear!!!!

lets take the scales out for a moment!!!! was the men who MURDERED the young lady at the gas station pants sagging?????

how can we sit and compare religious practise to Cutie been
disgusted??
when it comes to religion we can choose to afilliate
or not.....THE GOVERMENT FOR NOW CAN NOT TELL ANYONE WHAT RELIGION TO CHOOSE!
We choose to cover our faces, heads and grow our beaads, the same way we chose to read the bible or the koran..there is no law on any books that i know of that define which is wrong or right!
so tell me how is a fool sagging harming our society,beside people getting "disgusted????. ....if it is an eye soar then just dont look or look and suck your teeth.....again it starts with sagging pants what next.......the disgust of walking bear foot!!!

RAWLSTON POMPEY,thank you for taking the time out to clarify what you said in your post so that I could understand where you are coming from. Personally,I do not like the way those kids are dressed;however ,I find it distasteful for a court to fine or sentence someone to prison for dressing that way - considering many people of lesser means in our society(the homeless people in rags and their offensive smell)who cannot live up to the rules and codes the government is trying to impose.

SlyThatGuy again you ignore the fact that we have laws on the books which state certain things eg. military attire, cannot be worn by Civilians. Therefore you are wrong that the government (Antigua & Barbuda) cannot legislate dress code. In France recently there was a law passed which prevented persons from wearing the Berka in public. There is talk of this soon happening in Britain and Canada. In Canada currently the Burka is banned during swearing in ceremonies for citizenship


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SLYTHATGUY, look at it this way, Civil society expects its members to treat each other RESPECTFULLY; ...behave in a CIVIL MANNER; ...Speak in civil manner; ...dress in a way befitting such CIVILITY."

Most institutions have or EXPECTED certain "...DRESS CODES.' For instance, attending Church, whether for "...Divine Service; ...Wedding ceremony; ...Christening/ Baptism; ...Funeral," it is "...EXPECTED" that attendees would be dressed appropriately.

In the "...wider society" no less is expected. Thus, like behavior, mode of dress that is likely to "...OUTRAGE PUBLIC MORALS," SHALL be addressed by society's policy-makers and upholders- EXECUTIVE and the JUDICIARY.

Conversely, modes of dress that were not in keeping with "...home or school rules or that of the "...JUDGES' AND MAGISTRATE'S COURTS are intended to inculcate "...a sense of dignity, decorum and respect." The COURTS SHALL assist society in upholding and maintaining those "...rules, codes, values, mores, customs."

The Church vestry may not be the cell of the penal institution where SAGGIN originated but the vestry, where the robes sweeps the floors as the model sashees across the floor, undressing from the sash around his neck to his birth suit, has done more damage to the psyche of millions (PLEASE SEE CATHOLIC PRIESTS, THE VATICAN, THEIR HOMOSEXUAL/SODO MY TRIALS)
So, SAGGIN needs a lashing but so to is a lot of other demoralizing behavior.. ..l

SAGGIN, as offensive as it is to many, so to is the mini skirt(ask the "yesterday, sunday christian), the lycra shorts, the split down the rear, side& front body hugging hubble( the split usually starts just below the a$s, or the vagina, so that, when the professional lady sits and crosses her legs, lady-like, of course, the interviewer/Exe cutive wallet drops at her knees.)
Next is the beard, religions, get your doctrines ready; the suit and tie versus the thawb versus the kimono versus the dashiki, so which one is more appropriate. Culture clash, once again, and its all about dominance.
The SAGGIN TREND, is a rebellion against a culture which think of you as property. It's a way to bring attention to the lack of proper educational facilities to the less fortunate communities where billions are spent on the prison inmates rather than the school children. A culture that cultivate the mind to go to prison, yes, , to control a certain class. Think about it. SO, IS IT SURPRISING, THAT THE NORMS OF THE PRISON FINDS THEIR WAY RIGHT BACK IN OUR COMMUNITIES?

Tenman, to add to your point, in some countries, a man can be arrested for dressing up as a woman in a dress,a wig,and female shoes;however,t his issue and the one we were discussing are as different as can be. The government,unli ke the airlines and the restaurants,can not impose dress codes because there are many,many people of lesser means in our society. Will the police arrest a poor man who has a gaping hole in his pants because he does not have the means to afford something better? It is just ridiculous for the law to go after those kids for wearing their pants that way,while disregarding the offensive, distasteful, and immoral behavior of people in "Pasa Pasa" and "Wet Fets". I have never seen such public display of vulgarity and rudeness as during these events.Don't you think there should be strict laws forbidding it?

Huemans have evolved for lack of a better word, from Caveman, Bushman to Executive/Profe ssional attire, and, yes, women have too. Some will argue about the evolution process of humans but from then until now, Cultures have changed their attire for one reason or another.
What one culture finds offensive in another is the norm to another
SAGGIN(caribarena, you're changing the meaning by adding "G".) is "NIGGAS" spelt backwards, the controversial "N" word which is offensive to one culture but not for another.
However, as offensive as the use of the "N" word is, those same states took hundreds of years to even consider banning its public use, yet in 40 short years of "Pull your pants up", yes, James Brown brought it to attention as far back as 1968, and yes, he was referring to the rapid rise in homosexual behavior in Our communities which is far more devastating to Our Culture.

SlyThatGuy, we have laws on the books which can jail persons for wearing certain attire: One example is its illegal for non militarily persons to wear military fatigue. By the way I am sure you know there are areas in the US which has laws like what MP Benjamin calls for (Alabama) ? Some airlines eg. US Airways, Southwest Airlines has disallowed persons from boarding due to sagging pants.


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Justice, you seem unaware but there are laws on the books which outlaw anal sex. Let me refer you to article: http://www.caribarena.com/antigua/news/latest/98529-antiguas-buggery-law-unlikely-to-change.html

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RAWLSTON POMPEY,What is the law going to do about those people who wear in public their pajamas and other article of clothing that should only be worn in the bedroom? Although you raise the issue of Moral(ethics),t hese kids are not committing any crimes being dress that way.If they want to wear their hat on their feet and their shoes on their heads,let them do that.They aren't naked.

Antigua is a small Island,with a very lewd and uncouth young population(even some older ones)someone has to do something sooner rather than later,we cannot allow in the name of freedom to lose an entire Generation,whic h seem to be where we,re heading,not because we have freedom of expression,that does not mean that laws should not be made and enforced to bring back some measure of Morality and decency in our society.All politics aside for me on this one.

It looks disgusting,need s no long debate,i am all for stamping it out,if any of my young relatives were to bring home someone dressed like that to me,i would chase them both with a broom stick,there is absolutely nothing fashionable about that,they look quite foolish if you ask me,

Those people who dress in skimpy bikini bathing suites and swimming trunks at the beach sure reveal a lot,but we don't seem to have any problem with that. We also don't seem to have any problem with a man walking all around town half naked,wearing no clothing on his upper body,but we can't stand people being fully dress with a part of their undergarment showing. I prefer to see those kids dress that way than to see those men humping on the women like dogs during the carnival celebration - that,my friends,is disgusting.

Any decent upstanding individual will see this behavior as disgraceful. However, we tend to preach 'Free Country' only when its in our favor which means they have the "freedom" to be perceived how they wish as long as they don't break any laws. So, if government wants to legislate this individual behavior then they would have to consider other individual behaviors that are also offensive to some. Our society is moving towards accepting homosexual behavior which is fortunately still offensive by majority of the population and clearly condemn by the bible. Yet, we have "DECENT" upstanding individuals in this country going on the television/radi o stations and defending and promoting such immoral behavior under the umbrella as "individual freedom." Though I do believe this act is DISGRACEFUL in my view, they are all individual choices, and if we are going to criminalize one then all must BECOME or REMAIN a criminal activity.

Notes From A Native Son Of the Rock! First, full disclosure, I abhor this practice of "Sagging Pants" which many of our young, both male & female, thoroughly enjoy.
Why is this Politician - a member of the Gang of Four who would quickly sell our poor citizenship at the drop of a penny - like Don Quixote chasing after Windmills?
It would be prudent to Pay Attention to the words of the Venerable Pompey in his Comments: NO DEFENCE & AMUSING & AMAZING.
Friends, these are matters for good family & social development. Would you encourage and permit your children to engage is such sartorial elegance?
These are efforts at as Skye suggests to not focus on the Real Issues of Political, Economic & Technological Development which is the Responsibility of the Politicians in Leadership Roles.
Tenman, again your position is valid. What are these Jesters doing about garbage being thrown hither & yon, folks urinating whenever and wherever?
Conflict of Interest Runs Rampant Through Out the Society. Have the Gang of Four ever complained about the "Wholesale Gifts of Ipads/Notebooks "? Not a Peep!
Oh Gad! Pray Wid Mi! Heaven Help Antigua & Barbuda!

It a fashion statement my todays kids. i won't do it and no kid of mine will at least not in my view. However i would rather have kids with soggy pants that You hypocrites and your curruption.

Thank you Mr. Benjamin. 7 years late but, better late than never. Unbelievable to see these big men walking around with their entire underpant/boxer shorts exposed.......d eliberately tightening their belts immediatley under their bottom or not having on any belt with an oversized pant. DISGUSTING and OFFENSIVE to say the least. SHAMEFUL! I have been calling on Dr. Cort to enforce this law and make sure the law enforcement Officers ENFORCE it. In the meantime, I am calling on all BANKS, SUPERMARKETS, BUSINESS PLACES, GOVERNMENT OFFICES, NOT TO ALLOW ANY MAN/BOY INSIDE IF HIS PANTS ARE NOT POSITIONED WHERE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE......WHICH IS ....ABOVE HIS BACKSIDE.

Mr.Pompey,those persons are not exposing themselves.You cannot see their private parts.If you happen to see them they are exposing their under pants.In the real world of Antigua.That is not a crime.In Antigua the politicians have bigger and better things to do.People exposing their under garment is not one of them.Put it on the back burner.Let us work on tightening our evasive tax compliant loopholes.Based on what I have read there are businesses in Antigua who do not pay there fair share of taxes period into the treasury.If the ordinary persons were to do that 1735 is they would end up.In my opinion,today this bill.The next thing Government will be in your bedrooms telling you whom you should be sleeping with.You the people of Antigua and Barbuda would be in for a rude awakening.

considering the job prospects for these young men we don't really have to worry about this ,soon they will not have enough money to buy pants let alone wear them on the knee's.
Also exposed back doors are at great risk of getting broken into once in 1735 so get skilled at keeping your pants up and on .
What does it say about Antigua and her future, if we need a law to force young people to dress correct???

the quicker they pass a bill the better. It's digusting that men and young boys and even some females(Antigua n, Jamaican Guyanese or whom ever), think it's cute. It used to be that if your pants were sagging and your under wear showing it was because you could not afford a belt or proper fitting clothes but now it's a social stetement and a nasty one at that. And to top it off some of them are not even wearing decent underwear!!

As disgusting as it seems to many, laws are not made due to one's disgust! Johnny I am with you on this one!
Public schools can set their standards, but when goverment start telling people (right or wrong ) how to dress we have a problem. Whats next?
one day Cutie become disgusted at someone short shorts or some one belly or back out.and not forgetting the mini skirts!!.well maybe not. In that case it will be woman showing her parts!!!
As for branding citzens as "deemed a ROGUE and a VAGABOND within the meaning of this ACT and shall be liable to IMPRISONMENT for a term not exceeding 3MONTHS..,is a joke!
The time wasted by some of these people who are disgusted should be use going over some of these laws that are truly benefiting to antigua on a whole....and try change those first!

What was cuite views on fit punishment for those scrondrels who have committed murder and have found guilty that lawyers proposing serving little time?
I am not for anyone showing me their undies but there are weyyyyy more important causes that Cuite need to address first!

Well said, These politicians are tap dancing they ran out of ideas and are not on petty things. You woulod think they have real work to do like look at the process at APUA and cut down on the amount of forms just to open an account or figure what to do with an 8 million stadium in Johnson Village rusting, collecting dust or clean up school yards of something usefull. Youth of any generation do weid things in the site of an older generation who used to do weid things but have grown old and forgetful. This is not a crisis.

When a Legislator intimated contemplation, encouraged by others that a "...PRIVATE BILL" was to be introduced in Parliament in addressing an obvious "...act against public morality," they sounded very "...AMUSING."

When the Attorney General indicated that his office's "...WORKLOAD" was overwhelming, that too was "...AMAZING."

Clearly the Legislators appeared ill-prepared, since laws do exist in addressing certain type of behavior. Thus, there was no need for the introduction of a "...PRIVATE BILL" and the AG'S Office need not be over burdened.

The simple solution was an amendment to the "...SMALL CHARGES ACT, CHAPTER 405, by inserting the Clause "...or EXPOSING HIS UNDERGARMENT/UN DERWEAR." Since there was consensus, 15 minutes was adequate to see it through.

Section 31 (3) (C) states "...Any person WILFULLY EXPOSING his person (private parts) in any public place or in view thereof, SHALL be deemed a ROGUE and a VAGABOND within the meaning of this ACT and shall be liable to IMPRISONMENT for a term not exceeding 3MONTHS."

if it is that easy to pass a bill or present a bill then why don't Benjamin promote a Private Member’s Bill to Parliament that will stop conflict of interest and curruption. If you want to make a jackass of yourself and wear no pants at all I con't care. This is just another dog act that can't and will not be inforced. A man got choppped in the head a few days ago, they still waiting for the police o come. By the time you call the police to arrest one of these youths with their pants down. he will be 65 years old and collecting a pention. More important things to legislate in this developing nation. Train your children.

That motorist (paragraph 6) would have had "...No Defence" to a charge of "...DRIVING WITHOUT DUE CARE AND ATTENTION."

Not sure what the Law-maker and "...ATTORNEY-AT -LAW" was going with his observations, but irrespective of what was happening on the "...Public roads, ALL users -motorists and pedestrians alike, have a "...DUTY OF CARE TO EACH OTHER."

He might have prudently advised the motorist to "...Be more alert and careful" in her driving.

Very good idea. Those folks are the most incompetent and uneducated in society. Listen to their language and the amount of times they are using the "F" word in their conversations. They are desrespectful and disgraceful to their country.

Antiguans are very Americanized.We aring your pants below one's backside is not a homosexual thing at all.How you people equate one with the other is beyond my understanding.H ere in the USA,I see young men wearing their pants that way all of the times.It is disgusting but not offensive.Who is it hurting is my question.The answer is no one.You the politicians need to stick with more things of substance.Of all of the horrible things going on in Antigua.Is this the most important thing to spend time on.Let the parents spend time working on their kids.AS a young man growing up in Antigua.I had to listen to my mother and father or else the belt was on my backside.Things are different now,the kids will call the police if you hit them.There in lies the problem.

Antigua and Barbuda Constitution Chapter II section3
Quote:

Whereas every person in Antigua and Barbuda is entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, the right, regardless of race, place of origin, political opinions or affiliations, colour, creed or sex, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest..

Those commentators mentioning its a constitutional right to wear saggy pants please point me to section in the Antigua & Barbudan (NOT USA) Constitution where such liberty is given with no restriction? I took the time to read it and such liberties are subject to the public's interest. In the public interest law makers have the right to make laws which may control or limit certain liberties. Think of it, do you have the right to blast music at all times of the day and disturb your neighbors?


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Disgusted did you check their passports to know that they are from Jamaica or Guyana? That's the most **ed thing I've ever read. I'm against sagging pants but we should not tell one another in society how one should express themselves. So now a struggling police force is going to be chasing kids around the country because of sagging pants?? Don't they have enough on their plate??

I think they should pass a legislation against it, these guys are really over doing it. why should i be subjected to looking at your under pants. it says a lot about the guys who wear their pants like that. its funny how our young men emulate these trends and something uplifting as simple as reading a book they find it as if their moving a mountain. this is so DISTASTEFUL!!!! !

I too am disgusted with the way these young men are walking around the place. Do you know that most of them are from Jamaica and Guyana? Do they know that the trend was started in prisons in USA by homosexual men wanting to let the other men know that they are available? No self-respecting woman would put themselves with a male that dresses like that. It really is DISGUSTING!!!!! !!

As annoying and disgusting as it is, Cutie should know a thing or two about the constitution. People are free to express themselves and we cant legislate against that....sorry

I think they should keep their pants down. I always seem them on that TV show running from the police trying to hold on to their pants. It's funny and they always get caught.
I've never heard of a woman saying "Hey that guy is hot look at those dirty shorts"
If you make them pick up their pants It will remove a good source of people to make fun of.

I totally agree, that look is offensive but that female driver should learn to keep her eyes on the road.
If some of these youths knew the meaning of the fashion no no then they would be less inclined to wear their pants below the hips. It simply means you are available and is looking for a homosexual encounter. Simply put.