Philipsburg:---Terry Peterson believes the most pressing issue facing the Netherlands Antilles and the Island Territory of St. Maarten is the issue of Poor Safety and Security. According to Peterson, over the last decade, crime-the so-called nagging Central Government responsibility-has ripped through the very soul of our communities. Communities which were once peaceful and safe are now "no go" areas. Many of our citizens are afraid to venture out of their homes and some feel incarcerated in their own homes. In addition to this we have become saturated with news of one scandal after another and reports of wrongdoing among some of our elected representatives and civil servants. Accountability, Integrity and Transparency apparently have lost all meaning.
However, with the establishment of Corporate Governance Council, the office of the Ombudsman, and the dismantling process and transfer of responsibilities to Country St. Maarten now on track, I believe together we can return decency, good governance, transparency, integrity, law, order and justice to our society, and provide for the safety and security of all citizens and visitors. I believe we can achieve the feeling of peace and tolerance again in our community by restoring confidence in the justice system; by strengthening the institution of the family and by enlisting the support of all stakeholders, including religious groups, in ensuring that our justice system has all the resources and support to be quick, responsive and accessible to all. We can have safer homes, safer schools and safer streets.
If elected, I will continue dialogue with our Justice Minister to promote our national vision for responsible family and community life, safer schools and neighborhoods, and invest more in modern policing methods, surveillance equipment and new technologies to ensure that the police are adequately trained and equipped to detect, solve and prevent crimes. In addition to this, I will explore ways to:
-Work with social partners to establish a new facility for juvenile offenders.
-Increase the number of police officers to provide the police with the capacity to reintroduce a properly coordinated beat and patrol program.
-Invest in and set up Crime Scene Investigation Units (CSI) or Crime Investigation Units (CIU) units.
-Implement a new forensic lab and require better evidence handling.
-Increase training of police officers at all levels particularly in Human Rights and Criminal Investigations.
-Revise or introduce new laws with stiffer penalties for antisocial behavior such as littering, noise pollution, degrading of public spaces, abandonment of derelict vehicles and buildings which can serve as precursors to more serious crimes and can engender the perception of a lawless society.
-Reverse the years of neglect of the police and improve the conditions of work of the police by providing adequate incentives, promotions etc. thereby enhancing career development, job satisfaction and performance standards.
-Strengthen significantly the public prosecution service to ensure a more efficient and effective prosecution of criminals.
-Initiate social-skills building programs and Security Awareness and Sensitization programs that will help to reshape the minds of our young people so that they develop a greater appreciation of societal values, life, their own worth and their contribution to society.
-Recognize, expand and support youth NGOs and uniformed groups such as the Boys and Girls Brigades, Girl Guides, Scouts, Pathfinders, and VKS to promote life skills and community values.
-Reduce dropout rates among our youth through mentorship.
-Institute adequate compensation for victims and witnesses of violent crime and abuse, and provide legal aid so that persons who are financially unable can be assured of legal representation.
-Institute an independent police complaints commission to resolve or address any grievances or complaints against the police.
-Revamp the penal system to allow for better correctional services, rehabilitation and vocational training for specific offenders, and the establishment of a proper probation service that can track repeat offenders.
-Expand small business opportunities and create new jobs
Terry J. Peterson has served as the executive assistant to two State Secretaries For Public Health and Social Development and as a consultant to Caribbean governments on Youth Entrepreneurship and Poverty Reduction. He is also a part-time Lecturer in Philosophy and Sociology at the University of St. Martin. He presently holds a LL.M: Masters of Law in International Law and Human Rights from Coventry University, United Kingdom and a Bachelors of Arts from Andrews University, Michigan, USA. He also possesses a certificate in International Criminal Law from the Grotius Center for International Legal Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands. He has also pursued professional development studies in Drugs, Alcohol & HIV: Policy and Intervention with Imperial College, University of London, UK, and was the community coordinator for Drug Prevention at the Turning Point Foundation. Terry J. Peterson is #10 on the National Alliance list for the Federal Election.
