~Earlier plans projected completion by the end of 2027, while the January groundbreaking announcement now gives construction approximately three years.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- The groundbreaking for the long-awaited new Point Blanche Prison was held on January 15, 2026, but documents reviewed by SMN News show that the publicly announced timeline for the project has changed significantly from the schedule presented when Phase 2 was launched in November 2024.
The project is being implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services, UNOPS, as part of the Ministry of Justice’s broader Detention Sector Reform Program.
According to the official January 2026 announcement, the new prison represents a joint investment of US$52 million by the Government of St. Maarten and the Netherlands’ Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations.
The facility is expected to cover approximately 10,000 square meters, consisting of a four-story main building, and accommodate as many as 196 inmates, more than doubling the country’s current detention capacity.
However, the timeline now being presented deserves close public scrutiny.
Earlier Completion date no longer reflected
Government information released on November 18, 2024, described Phase 2 as a construction project with an intended duration of approximately 35 months.
At that time, construction was expected to begin in 2025, with the first phase becoming operational by mid-2026 and final completion expected by the end of 2027.
The January 15, 2026, press release now states that construction is expected to take approximately three years. The announcement does not provide a specific contractual completion date or explain how the three-year construction period relates to the earlier end-of-2027 completion target.
That difference is significant.
If the three-year period is calculated from January 2026 groundbreaking, the project would extend beyond the previously announced end-of-2027 target. The Government and UNOPS should therefore clearly state the official commencement date, contractual completion date and whether the original project schedule has formally been revised.
Contractor Registered Months Before Groundbreaking
The Ministry of Justice announced that UNOPS contracted Artelia JV as the supervising engineer and CESAF JV as the construction contractor.
Commercial Register records show that CESAF JV Sint Maarten B.V. was incorporated on October 7, 2025, registered on October 14, 2025, and last amended on November 25, 2025.
The company has a nominal capital of 100 shares valued at US$1 each and lists its business addresses as Welfare Road 68, Unit 1, Cole Bay Lagoon.
The registered Managing Director is Diego Pol, an Italian national who entered the function on October 7, 2025, and is listed as solely authorized to represent the company.
The company’s registered activities include construction, utility works, road and civil engineering, plumbing, air-conditioning, electrical works, maintenance, importation of building materials and heavy equipment, and real-estate project management.
Joint Venture and International Experience
Research conducted in January identified the contractor structure as JV CESAF–COSEDIL, operating locally through CESAF JV Sint Maarten B.V.
The research found publicly available indications linking Italian company COSEDIL to an earlier prison project in Berat, Albania. It also identified a possible connection to a detention project in Fier, although the available information was insufficient to establish COSEDIL as the project’s principal contractor.
For the prison projects in Shkodër and Elbasan, the available documents identified other contractors.
The research did not establish wrongdoings by CESAF, COSEDIL, Diego Pol or the local joint-venture company.
It did, however, note that publicly accessible UNOPS procurement notices did not clearly display the final contract-award details and recommended obtaining the official UNOPS award documentation and contract summary to formally confirm the successful bidder and the precise scope of the contract.
Promise of Local Employment
The January announcement states that construction will employ an average of more than 100 workers daily, combining local labor with international expertise.
Government also said the contractor and supervising engineer would prioritize local engagement, skills development and knowledge transfer, while using local suppliers, subcontractors and service providers.
Those commitments should now be supported by measurable figures.
The public should be told how many workers are currently employed, how many are St. Maarten residents, which local subcontractors have been engaged and what percentage of the construction expenditure will remain in the local economy.
Facility designed for 196 Inmates
The new facility is expected to include healthcare services, a basic mental health unit, family-visitation areas, indoor and outdoor recreational spaces, workshops and classrooms.
Vocational training is expected to include carpentry, welding, and mechanics.
The building is also designed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes and seismic activity, using reinforced concrete and corrosion-resistant materials suitable for the coastal environment. Natural ventilation and energy-efficient design measures are also included.
These specifications are important, but the immediate issue is whether the work is advancing according to an approved and publicly accountable schedule.
Ground Was Broken—Now the Public Needs a Construction Schedule
The January ceremony was described as the official launch of construction.
Six months later, the Government and UNOPS should disclose the current stage of work, the agreed contractual milestones and the confirmed completion date.
The questions are straightforward:
Has site preparation been completed? Has structural construction begun? Is the project operating within the US$52 million investment? Have there been changes to the scope or schedule? Does the end-of-2027 completion date still apply, or has it been replaced by a later target?
The new Point Blanche Prison is not an ordinary building project. It is being presented as the infrastructure solution to St. Maarten’s longstanding detention crisis.
With US$52 million committed, capacity planned for 196 inmates and construction now officially underway, the country is entitled to more than ceremonial assurances.
It is entitled to a clear timeline, transparent contract information and verifiable progress.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The crisis at the Pointe Blanche House of Detention has reached a critical stage, with severe overcrowding, deteriorating detention conditions, and the collapse of meaningful rehabilitation programs now directly affecting the administration of justice in St. Maarten.
PHILIPSBURG:--- As public discussion about the National Budget continues, the Minister of Finance believes it is important to clearly explain how the Government’s budget is prepared and what role each part of Government plays in that process.
