Philipsburg: --- Minister of constitutional affairs Roland Duncan is angry with the police on St. Maarten and wants to know what their priorities are. Duncan said crime is killing St. Maarten and the only thing the police officers are concerned about is rent allowances.
The Minister said even though he is not the Minister of Justice he has been attending several meetings regarding justice and he is actually pissed off when he saw the Island Chief of Police is asking for more police officers. Duncan said he wants to know what the 120+ officers that presently make up the police force are doing to combat crime on St. Maarten.
The Minister said the people are not seeing the police and it's the Soualiga Police that are patrolling the streets of St. Maarten while the officers are sitting in their air conditioned offices and cars. He felt the time has come to take away all cars from these police and have them walk since almost all of the police officers in service have huge bellies because they are not doing anything on the job.
"It is beyond my comprehension to see the VKS and Soualiga Police patrolling the streets, I need to know where are the police and what are they doing to reduce crime. So far I only hear them saying they want to know about their rent allowances." The Minister said he would like to know what these officers are doing with their salaries because the only thing they are talking about is more monies, while they don't intend to work for that money, a situation he considers to be very disappointing.
The Minister of Constitutional Affairs said each time one speaks to the police they are asking for promotions but he wants to know how that is possible if they are not doing their work. People only get credit for their excellence.
He said right now St. Maarten needs a new police organization because the present one stinks from a distance... "the chiefs neither the Indians want to work, yet they are asking for rent allowances and promotions".
He said he believes the time has come for them to re assess the police on St. Maarten to see where their commitments are because the island has a major problem with crime and the police does not seem to care.
The officers do not want to work with the Dutch Marechausses because they believe everybody wants to take away something from them, but that might be the only solution for the crime and other concerns for St. Maarten.
Another concern for Duncan is the unions that are representing the police because he said they have been involving the unions with the constitutional process but yet they do not inform their members.