In a rare sight of solitary activism, 29-year-old Nathaniel Williams took to the streets on Monday, demanding stronger security measures to protect children. His one-man protest was spurred by the recent death of 9-year-old Chantel Crump and a growing number of missing persons cases in Antigua and Barbuda.

Williams, the owner of West Indies Botanicals, braved the heat outside the High Court and the Ministry of Education, calling on authorities to implement stricter safety measures, including increased CCTV surveillance.

“Over 16 people gone missing before this young lady went missing the other day, and it’s unfortunate that after so many people gone missing, we haven’t put anything in place to ensure better protection, better surveillance in this country,” he said. “It’s a shame. We spend money on so many things. What about our safety and protection?”

He proposed several measures, including the installation of CCTV cameras at key locations such as bus stops and village drop-off points, which he believes will help track the movements of children. He also suggested the establishment of supervised waiting areas where stranded children can safely remain until their parents arrive.

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“I see people from Transport Board sitting down, they’re doing their job, but we need people even after school hours. A special monitored facility where these children can wait if the parents are running late or if they get up at a certain time.”

To illustrate the urgency of his concerns, Williams shared a recent incident in which he encountered a lost 10-year-old girl who did not have her parents’ contact information. He escorted her home, but the experience left him deeply troubled.

“She’s walking back and forth. She doesn’t know what to do. I asked her, hey, you okay? You waiting for somebody? The bus man left her down or dropped her off and she doesn’t know how to get home,” he recounted. “Fortunately, this young lady lived just beside Country Pond not too far from the bus station so I could offer my help to bring her home.”

But Williams also issued a chilling warning: “What if I was a murderer? What if I was a rapist or somebody else?  That young lady would have gone missing.”

His protest is set to continue for three days, with Williams dedicating three hours each day to raising awareness. However, if authorities fail to respond, he is urging others to join him for a public march on April 13 to amplify the message.

“We need to step up as a people … If people are motivated to make a change, they will step forward,” he said.

Williams is inviting others who share his concerns to join him in his peaceful demonstration. “If anybody else feels the same, feels the same sentiment, you can come and join me. I’m not protesting for any harm to anybody; we have to do what we can to ensure that our children are safe.”

N.B This story was originally posted to the Antigua Observer website.