~Tackling: ‘We Must Give Hope to Those Already Behind Bars’~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling says Sint Maarten’s justice reform will not wait for the new prison to open. The government, in partnership with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), will begin implementing rehabilitation programs immediately for current inmates.
“The UNODC is here on an initial fact-finding mission,” Tackling revealed. “They’ve hired a full-time program manager who will bring all the different components together. We need to launch these initiatives now—not after construction ends.”
Skill-Building and Reintegration
Responding to a suggestion that inmates could help with school feeding programs, Tackling said she supports that idea.
“Absolutely,” she said. “We looked at a similar program in Bonaire, where inmates prepare sandwiches for schools. We’re exploring how we can implement something like that here.”
She said such initiatives align with the ministry’s new focus on skills development, rehabilitation, and community contribution, part of a larger “Detention Sector Reform” package set to launch next week.
“This wider umbrella of reform includes the soft components—education, therapy, and skills,” Tackling explained. “We’re not only building walls; we’re building people.”
Addressing Mental Health and Care Gaps
Tackling acknowledged that mental health therapy in the prison had been temporarily disrupted due to outstanding payments to care providers.
“That’s high on my priority list,” she said. “We’re working with those organizations to settle the balances and enter into payment arrangements.”
She added that funding has already been secured to bring in professionals to assess care needs and help tailor future rehabilitation services.
“Every inmate has different needs,” Tackling said. “Our baseline study will tell us what kind of care and support systems we need to put in place.”
Balancing Justice and Capacity
While acknowledging that limited cell space has strained the system, Tackling said her goal is to restore credibility to the justice chain by ensuring that every offense—big or small—has consequences.
“Ideally, every action should have a response,” she said. “Even a night in a police cell can encourage better compliance. But to do that, we need capacity and resources.”