ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC)— The Antigua and Barbuda government says it will “make a contribution” towards the burial of a 50-year-old public servant, whose body was discovered at her house earlier this month with machete wounds.

Jamaican, Linsome Boyd, has since been charged with murder of Cynthia Henry, whose 21-year-old son was seriously injured during the June 20 incident.

“The Cabinet agreed to make a contribution towards the burial of Ms Cynthia Henry who was killed by a violent male. The Cabinet further agreed to provide her son with a scholarship,” the government said in a statement, as it expressed “condolences to her family, especially her mother, her co-workers at the Passport Division, and her many friends who are pained by this undeserved death”.

A government statement said that Cabinet held a zoom meeting with two United Nations officials concerning domestic or gender-based violence, discussing prevention strategies since only a small number of events are ever reported to the police.

“The UN officials also discussed the “No-Drop” prosecution, which allows prosecution even if the complainant refuses to testify later; the rule currently exists in states within the USA, in Provinces in Canada, in Australia, and in the Nordic countries.”

The statement noted that Attorney General, Steadroy Benjamin, has indicated that Antigua and Barbuda will likely adopt this “No Drop” rule in order to save lives since death, at the hands of violent males, has been recorded recently by women who refused to testify after earlier events leading to the final act of violence.

“The establishment of safe houses, a 16-week behavioural programme for violent males, and other mind-changing training have been proposed. The officials are not in favour of increasing the punishment as a remedy; they believe that support systems are a superior choice. A discussion also followed on how to integrate technology in this search for solutions,” the statement added.