SXMElections.com

PHILIPSBURG--Over four years of lobbying by general police union NAPB seems to have reaped fruit on Thursday when Justice Minister Dennis Richardson made a surprise announcement that government has approved the function book for the police and prison.

Richardson made the announcement during the first of the two-day NAPB National Congress at Divi Little Bay Beach Resort.

Richardson said the Council of Ministers on Tuesday established the “functiehuis” and “rechtspositieregeling” or the organisational setup and legal rights and obligations of police officers and prison staff, matters that NAPB has been lobbying for, several years now. The function book covers a range of areas such as the general police law, structure, placement plan and salary package, amongst other things.

Richardson said the approved document will now have to be handled by the Council of Advice. “It has taken more than four years to reach this point,” he said adding that Rome wasn’t built in a day and in St. Maarten it takes just a day longer.

The minister also “assured” the union that bullet proof vests “will be purchased for law enforcement officers.” He said preparations for the decision making are now in its final stages

“We will have to do what we have to do on our own with the means that we have. It will take in some cases a little longer, we do it with pride and conviction,” the minister said.

Richardson said he stood fully behind the stance that NAPB has taken that a minister of Justice “cannot stand idly by whilst others whose performance does not justify their arrogance unjustly denigrate local law enforcement agencies.”

Shortly after the announcement NAPB police union President Ephewoldus “Joe” Josepha told reporters attending the congress that the announcement was a surprise as he was unaware of the Council’s decision. He said putting the function house into effect will automatically solve 60 per cent of the “problems” of police. “We are going full speed ahead. We will not stop. We are not there yet, but this is a good first step,” Josepha said. “Just bringing this news to the members will bring joy to some of the members. It was something that was keeping me up at night.”

Attending the congress were representatives of NAPB St. Maarten, Curaçao and the Dutch Caribbean (Saba, St. Eustatius and Bonaire).