SXMElections.com

PHILIPSBURG--Nationale Algemene Politie Bond (NAPB), St. Maarten's police union, is firmly backing Justice Minister Dennis Richardson's as he makes his case regarding the Dutch Government's plans to strengthen the justice chain in the country without St. Maarten's input.

Richardson is currently in the Netherlands to -amongst other things- give St. Maarten's position on the matter. NAPB President Jeanine Peterson said the union has taken a firm stand to back Richardson, who left St. Maarten on Saturday and is expected to meet with, amongst other persons, Dutch Minister of Security and Justice Ard van der Steur and Dutch Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk on the matter.

Peterson said while the Dutch want to send 50 Kingdom Detective Cooperation Team RST members to St. Maarten for different departments in the justice field, the local force "really needs them to come and help out the men and women in blue," and not the various departments. "NAPB isn't backing down from this issue. We don't need police officers to be sitting down in offices. We need police officers on the road. We need foot patrol. We need more patrol on the road," she said on Tuesday.

Richardson had told the media last week that St. Maarten was not given an opportunity to make an input in the Dutch Government's plans for the strengthening of the justice chain, although a protocol is in place, which indicates that the plans would be hammered out with St. Maarten's input. The minister said he was not "amused" by the attitude of Dutch National Police Chief Gerard Bouman, who presented the plans to him during his recent visit to St. Maarten, and denied St. Maarten an opportunity to give its input.

During his visit, Bouman informed Richardson that he was not here to work out the protocol on the strengthening of the justice chain in St. Maarten. Bouman told the minister he wanted to inform him that he met with Van der Steur and Plasterk, who decided that their priority is combating corruption in St. Maarten.

Bouman also told Richardson that 50 Kingdom Detective Cooperation Team RST members will be sent to St. Maarten, and that 22 million euros will be used to strengthen the justice chain, in particular the Prosecutor's Office and judges.

Richardson said when he informed Bouman that he signed a protocol in the Netherlands, which stipulates that St. Maarten will work out the details together with the Dutch, Bouman said, "We don't need you."

Peterson also raised the issue of the status of immigration officers not yet being regulated. "NAPB has been asking for at least two years now for the status of immigration officers to be regulated, and to date, this has been in vain," she said, adding that the union wants clarification on the status of immigration officers. "NAPB wants to know if any law has been changed with regard to them. And if so, by whom and why was NAPB not informed on this issue," she said.

"NAPB is taking a firm stand. We want answers on everything that has to do with the safety of our members (dienst ongevallen), as well as of their promotion, etc. The administrative personnel are still awaiting any type or form of promotions due to them."

Peterson said the union thought that the fatal killing of hero officer, the late Gamali "Benji" Benjamin, would have brought together the partners in the disciplined services. She said, however, that it appears that this incident did the opposite and is "tearing us more apart from one another."