Philipsburg: --- Reacting to statements made over two weeks ago by Minister of Constitutional Affairs Roland Duncan regarding the police on St. Maarten. NAPD representative Norwin Villarreal said Duncan is acting rather childish with his statements. Villarreal said the police are entitled to have their house rent allowances and it is only normal for them to inquire about these benefits now that St. Maarten is seeking its separate status.
The union representative said they do not want to have to deal with the situation Aruba had to deal with when they gained their status apart. He said back then several police officers were asked to leave, so in the case of St. Maarten these officers are saying that if their benefits cannot be assured they are ready to leave the island. Duncan had said St. Maarten has 120+ officers and crime is on the rise, the minister felt St. Maarten police should do more to further combat crime. In response to that Villarreal said that Duncan is part of the central government and they are responsible for putting a plan in place which the police would execute. He said Duncan should at least take responsibility for being part of a government who is not doing enough to enhance the police departments. Villarreal said the police on St. Maarten are not against anybody instead they are willing and ready to work with everyone. He said if the Marechaussees are coming to St. Maarten the only thing the local police want is for them to get into the blue uniform and hit the streets like the local police whom he said is on the road daily solving crime.
Reacting to statements published in one of the daily newspapers that said it is only the RST that is solving crime, Villarreal said the St. Maarten Police Force is highly understaffed and in many cases there is one detective working on 20 cases while in the department of the RST there are 20 officers working on one case. He said one cannot expect them to compete with the RST who has more manpower. The NAPD representative said when the RST solves a case they did not work on it alone instead the local police and Curacao police would assist with the case before it reaches the RST. He further explained that he spoke to the prosecutor whom it was reported made the statements and the prosecutor he said clarified what he said compared to what the journalist wrote.
Additionally Villarreal said Duncan should find out the reasons why the Voluntary Korps and Soualiga Police were recruited before making statements. He said these people were recruited by the police to patrol on the boardwalk and other parts of Philipsburg. Villarreal said Duncan made some rather childish statements when he said the police officers only had big bellies. “As far as I am concerned Duncan is childish and he needs to act more responsibly.” Villarreal said.