The businessman who had a gun aimed at him at a rum shop in Prospect on Saturday said he saw his life and that of his wife and children flash before him.
But on reflecting on the potentially deadly situation, Cameron Balcombe, a former candidate for the main opposition New Democratic Party, said it was funny that the man offered him a drink after holstering the gun, and drew it again when he refused.
He further said that the incident might have ended differently if he, too, had had his licensed firearm with him.
Lawyer Ronald “Ronnie” Marks has admitted that he drew his licensed weapon at Balcombe, but said he did so because Balcombe and another man were rushing at him after a ‘cussing’ outside the shop.
But Balcombe gave another account saying that Marks – who admitted to iWitness News that he was intoxicated at the time – drew the weapon for no apparent reason.
“I was very scared. I saw my kids and my wife’s face flash in front of my memory. Somebody came in front and was trying to block and then they pushed Ronnie away and told him to behave himself and so forth.
“And this you would find very funny, but this is what happened: he (Marks) came outside, put the gun back in his pocket, and told me to come in the shop, he wants to buy me a drink.
“After I refused again and told him he has to be e**ing crazy, he took back out the gun again and pointed it at me.”
Balcombe said he had no means of defending himself.
“I have a licensed firearm. Unfortunately, or by the good grace of God, I did not have my firearm with me because I am not a violent person. I may have my no-nonsense personality but, I am not one to go and look for violence, especially since I am married and have three kids. I try to live for my family, my kids and try to build my company, period,” said Balcombe, who owns a construction firm.
Balcombe’s wife, Ronnia Durham-Balcombe, a lawyer, has accused Marks of assaulting her at the shop on Saturday.
She and her husband say they believe that charges should be brought against Marks.
Police said on Tuesday that they are investigating Durham-Balcombe’s claim.
All a dem every one a dem are low life pretending to be high life.
Good example guys as professional people and behaving in this uncivilized manner,.
Dinky Balcombe is a liar and a “show self” idiot. Ask anybody who knows him. He would be best described as a loose cannon.
Hey, Big Youth:
Just how BIG are you? Are you big IN HEART, too? Or, would that be cause for concern to you medical counselors … oops . . . doctors, NOT lawyers!
OR YOU JUST TRY TO DISTRACT US FROM THE REAL or underlying ISSUES involved in the disgraceful public altercation?
Supposedly ‘Big’ Youth – – – ARE YOU TRYING TO HIDE SOMEONE?!
Why this display of willful ignorance on YOUR part, then?
I say, Bro., is either you PLUM IGNORANT, or, OR, or, WILFULLY IGNORANT.
Now, you say Mr. Balcombe IS a LIAR.
MAYBE he is, IF ALL OF US HUMAN BEINGS are!
Is dat yuh mean??A
Otherwise, you meant to say that HE DOES LIE – – – sometimes?!
Now, I have encountered some lies and lying in my short, short life-time. But, the really the ones who lie most successfully are THOSE WHO ONLY LIE sometimes!
Do LIARS ALWAYS LIE?
THERE, THERE, they wouldn’t be be successful at lying, would they???
Well, even dumb guys like you and me WOULD SOON ENOUGH KNOW THAT EVERYTHING THEY SAY ARE LIES.
SO, hopefully, WE WONT ALWAYS BELIEVE THEM.
UNLESS, of course, dey happen to be ethereal ‘something’ call “ulp” —- ah . . . hem … ‘UNITY labour party.
Or, some people may shout a fellow human being as “. . . ‘comrade’ . . . ”
When yuh start yuh shouting, ‘Big Youth’, please remember that my Dad’s pet name is ALSO “Comrade” – – – having been named so by his fellow workers at the Mt. Bentinck Sugar Factory coopering operation.d, he ain’t your political benefactor, or political idol, ah mean.
So, if Dinky ONLY lie SOMETIMES, I think that it would be logically INACCURATE for us to say that he IS a LIAR.
The connotation implied from saying that he IS A LIAR, I proffer, is that HE ALWAYS LIES.
BUT, remember, a liar worth his questionable ‘worth’ WOULD NOT ALWAYS LIE.
DO LIARS ALWAYS LIE.
A “true” LIAR, one who ‘IS’ a “LIAR” would only lie SOMETIMES!
THEREFORE, in my considered estimation, it” would be FALSE to claim that he “IS” A ‘LIAR’.
I humbly suggest, for what it is worth, that it is, OBJECTIVELY, false, i.e., A LIE, to call someone else “A LIAR!”
Yes, I posit that it is FALSEHOOD to claim that some fellow human being ” . . . IS A LIAR . . .!”
So, that leaves YOU telling a FALSEHOOD, yes, A LIE.
NOW, now, I did not say “YOU ARE A LIAR!”
NAY, I ‘said’, instead, that “YOU TOLD A LIE!”
Tell me, “youth”, unless you NOT A YOUTH, in truth, IS REALLY THAT YOU REALLY MEANT ’bout CAMERON “Dinky” BALCOMBE, didn’t you?
Yuh be really mean to say: “Cameron Balcombe does tell lie(s), sometimes.”
‘Unnuh sabe???
If you meant this, but said OTHERWISE, that is, that he ” . . . IS A LIAR”, then I would charge that you were/are being “WILFULLY IGNORANT”!
Given the foregoing, IF YOU STILL INSIST that, as YOU keyed above, “Dinky Balcombe is a liar”, then I maintain that YOU ARE PLUM IGNORANT.
INDEED, objectively, in the REAL WORLD in human terns of flawed human beings, there is NO human being (and, I maintain, NEVER HAS BEEN) NO HUMAN BEING ON EARTH or the heavens, who “IS” a LIAR – – – ALWAYS LIES.
UNLESS, he is the devil, himself who, indeed, is termed the father of lies – – – or is seriously possessed by him. And, even Satan himself SOMETIMES ‘TELLS’ TRUTH – – – even to the extent of quoting scripture, albeit invariably opportunistically tainted or skewed.
Like a certain fellow you and I, and most all Vincentians KNOW.
Or, maybe I didn’t get you. Are you accusing young Mr. Balcombe of “BEING THE DEVIL . . . or . . . being possessed by him”?
A profound charge, I must say.
Which?
And, little-minded, ole slanderer , , , WHICH ARE YOU, once again?
IS self-proclaimed ‘Big Youth’ WILFULLY IGNORANT?
Or, PLUM IGNORANT???!!!
Just try point the finger of one of your hands – – -yep, most of the others invariably are pointed right back at YOU!
WERE YOU MERELY JUST TRYING TO DISTRACT US FROM THE REAL ISSUE IN THIS SORDID STORY and its RELATEDNESS and CONNECTIONS – – – the REAL LOGICAL CONCLUSIONS?
The charge of “show shelf” is a bit discriminatory and blind, to Victorian proportions.
The youth in SVG would find you boorishly “stuffy” to make such a charge. Render your apologies to them.
You seriously expect ANYONE in this day and 21st Century Age, NOT TO “SHOW” THEMSELVES?1
Eh, buddy, WHICH nebulous PLANET you fram????
NOW, lets see . . .
Who do EACH OF THOSE LAWYERS WORK FOR?
Or, WITH ??
DOES one of them WORK IN, OR IS TAKING CHARGE OF A POLITICIAN’S ‘legal CHAMBERS’?
OOPSI, mama!
I ain’t SAYING that there is somehow some sort of negative or nefarious connection, BUT, were you ATTEMPTING to distract us away from at least asking and considering this and similar QUESTIONS?! Was this intended to be “communistic” THOUGHT-CONTROL?
WERE THERE any political connections?!
WHO are the political actprs involved, directly or indirectly?
Only DISCOVERY, and fullest illumination in an OPEN and UNBIASED COURT OF LAW, where everyone is EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW, in a just Society and Culture of THE RULE OF LAW, and NOT the misrule or mob-rule of prejudiced, biased and bigoted ‘men’ WOULD BE ABLE TO DETERMINE these questions.
BUT, so-called ‘Big Youth’, DOAN TRY TO INSULT WE NATIVE INTELLIGENCE with these SILLY, STUPID, SLANDERS AND DEMONIZATIONS dishonestly geared at distracting us from fully, soberly CONSIDERING ALL THE ISSUES AND ACTORS INVOLVED, directly or indirectly – – – and making our own considered personal conclusions.
This then leaves “Big Youth”, so-called [or, puny-minded ole man], either a political hack stooge, or one of the at least indirectly involved partisan political actors – – – in deceptive disguise.
A mere partisan, A bigoted hack. A dissembler. A hateful propagandist.
I posit, on the other hand, that the uncharitable Big Youth is EITHER:
PLUM IGNORANT, or
WILFULLY IGNORANT.
WHAT do YOU suggest?
Always, b/o Genuine National Development
Steve Huggins
Teacher, Accredited Sports Coach and
CYP Youth Development Worker.
They are real gunslingers, the gun is no toy.
RECKLESS AND INTIMIDATING
An officer of the Court is undeniably human. However, he is still expected to exhibit
conduct consistent, not with ‘criminality,’ but with ‘…civility and responsibility.’
The gravity of incident suggested ‘…utterly reckless and intimidating’
behavior.
However, it was obvious that the attorney may have been so collected
as to have exercised control and restraint in avoiding the use of the
firearm with ‘…deadly consequences.’
Nonetheless, given the ‘…display and potential danger posed to curious by-standers,’
but more importantly, in the ‘…interest of public order and public safety,’ he may still
be called upon to be sanctioned.
Mr. Pompey, how about adding to your allegations:
aggravated assault with a deadly weapon;
deadly threat.
attempted murder.
terrorism?
Steve Huggins
Paralegal/Legal Assistant, Case Examiner and Private Investigator.
A firearm is not a playtoy, and as Mr Balcome said the outcome could have been different had he had his firearm on him at the time. drunkenness is no excuse to the law and I hope the Autoroties will do the right thing and brought charges against the parties. Regardless of party affiliation.it could have ended up that the police would have been doing another homicide investigation instead of investigatingoing an alleged assault .
Dinky what happened to you, I remember you as a wild spolied kid riding new bikes all the time to school. you were so cute back then, I was expecting so much more from you, given that you had it all to be so much more..You guys are mad this gun play thing is laughable. 🙂
MR. Huggins
The incident had not developed to the point of ‘…actual use of the firearm.’
Had the attorney used it, by now relatives may have been preparing for a funeral.
In this case, the charge would have been ‘…murder.’
If the victim had survived with injuries, the attorney may have been charged with
‘…Shooting with intent to murder.’
These would not have been considered ‘…acts of terrorism.’
It was obvious that the potential victim was not terribly frightened.
The ‘…humor’ suggests this.
The attorney allegedly pointed the firearm at Balcombe who appeared
not have been terribly frightened to freeze or run.
(ii) …unarmed man had to be restrained from approaching the armed attorney (video);
(iii) …he placed the weapon back into the holster; (iv) …offers him a drink;
(v) …when refused, he reportedly drew the weapon again.
At no point, the adversary ever moved away or ran to safety;
After the situation had developed into a physical fight,
he reportedly made a call to the Police; and waited until they arrived.’
Maybe, had Mr. Balcombe been similarly armed, they may have ‘…pitted their skills against each other.’
‘
Then ‘IWN’ may have been reporting ‘…Gun Fight at Prospect: …one dead and several injured.’
Knew the Balcombe family ‘…Basil; …Invader; …Benedict; …Lucky; ..Ruby; …Allison ‘Lamba’- schoolmate: and Combo; and Tyrone ‘Tyee..’ Don’t know Cameron.
NB.
(formerly from Colonarie; worked – law enforcement -COP: retd and reside in Antigua & Barbuda).
Hi COP Pompey:
Welcome, back-a-yard. I appreciate your paying attention and responding to the ruminations of this poor, ignorant, uncouth high-mountain country boy from the very back-woods of small-island St. Vincent. Great to note your agile commentary after all these years. If the politico-socio-economic discussion was significantly stimulated, then our purpose was served. Initially, I thought that you may have been one of the younger members of the Pompey nationals who I may not have kept in touch with for some time now.
By now, you should have gathered that Mr. Cameron Balcombe (pet-named “Dinky”) is a son of Mr. Alison Balcombe (aka, “Lamba”) and his charming wife of many years. Shine-eyes!
Thanks for intimating the Colonarie roots connection. My Mom often claimed to also be a Colonarie girl, from her frequenting the rural mini-bureaucracy there during her Fire-bun Park Hill sojourn — her mother, Caroline Johnson (Mrs. Caroline Huggins) being ‘originally’ from there.
I myself was intrigued, indeed honoured, to have had a substantial stint teaching (and coaching) more ‘recently’ at the Colonarie Government School [Elementary and Post-Primary], yes, formerly the Colonarie R.C. School. It was a truly great opportunity to realistically “ground with” my Colonarie-Belle Vue brothers and sisters. I learned quite a lot indeed. An added fillip was that the School then served the Senior Department sections of the Byera Angiican School, serving the youth from Chester Cottage, Byera Hill, Mt. William, Mangrove, and Gorse. There was one unforgettable, astounding, experience when I was temporarily acting as the Teacher-In-Charge there and a very big emergency crisis arose – – – and it was absolutely marvelous to see how the Community and parents united amicable to help me resolve the otherwise daunting problem. I had never before experienced such magnanimous CO-OPERATION at such a high level. It was wonderfully instructive, humbling, and maturing for me personally and professionally. The Staff was spectacular. God, give us more of such, especially in times of need and crisis.
Additionally, through the auspices of the NUSS Sports Committee, the Ministry of Education, and the then SVG Table Tennis Association – – – not to mention the fullest support structure of the parents, I was privileged, yes, highly honoured, to have coached a Colonarie freshman student at NUSS to the national level. She quickly emerged the Top Female Player in
the country’s national team. Profoundly talented. And, almost worshipped and fabulously supported by her Colonarie parents. Of course, others from the schools and area teams made it to the national youth level, or otherwise.
This was reminiscent of some years prior, (deja vu ?) when Mr. Almond Pilgrim, aka
‘Pilly’, Plancker, “the Man Dyno” (of “Oh, Mr. Farmer” kaiso fame), at the Georgetown Government School senior department, generously delegated to me his star Track and Field Athletics student, to carry her to the annual SVG Independence Games. Of course, she excelled, being the number one sprint athlete for her age group. The Director of Sports then, and subsequent ones, have yet to present her with her duly won, hard-fought 100-meters first place GOLD MEDAL, as repeatedly promised, up to date. Indeed, they used to promise us that they would present the winning medals the SUBSQUENT YEAR. And, didn’t keep their word. At a national event level. Celebrating our SVG national independence. Broken promises to our delicate youth, by specific national leaders/officials and bureaucracy. And, to the present time, NEVER KEPT – – – so far as I am informed currently.
Of my Antigua connections and roots, and also NEVIS and St. Kitts in the Leewards, hopefully we will get a future chance [NOT PUNNING, y’all] to expound. Don’t want to get started, though I stand convinced that there is sufficient general/historical interest.
Thanks again for touching base, COP Pompey, and so freely sharing your vast experience and insights with us. Keep blogging, my esteemed brother. My best regards to you.
Always
Your Compatriot
Steve Huggins
Genuine Caribbean Nationalist.
[Antiqua, St. Kitts-Nevis, Trinidad, St. Vincent, St. Lucia]