PHILIPSBURG:--- While the Ministry of Justice is busy patting itself on the back for crime statistics that barely scratch the surface of public safety, the internal machinery of justice in St. Maarten is grinding to a halt. The culprit isn’t a lack of resources or unforeseen circumstances; it is a profound failure of leadership. Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling sits at the helm of a sinking ship, seemingly content to watch the water rise. At the same time, essential workers and critical investors are left to drown in bureaucracy and neglect.
The situation on the ground is nothing short of a disgrace. We are not talking about complex geopolitical maneuvering here; we are talking about the basic, fundamental responsibilities of a government ministry—responsibilities that Minister Tackling has failed to meet at every turn.
A Workforce Betrayed
Let’s start with the people who keep this island safe. The justice workers, the backbone of our legal system, are being treated with utter contempt. The saga of the Landsbesluit has dragged on long enough to become a tragic joke. Why have these crucial legal decrees still not been issued to all justice workers? We hear reports that "Batch 14" is ready, but that it is gathering dust while dedicated staff are left in administrative limbo.
This isn’t just about paperwork; it’s about respect and livelihood. Yet, the Minister seems paralyzed, unable to execute even this most basic administrative duty.
It gets worse. The conditions under which these professionals are expected to operate would be laughable if the stakes weren't so high. We are hearing reports of offices where telephones, the most basic tool of communication, are nonexistent. Break rooms are graveyards of broken appliances; fridges and microwaves that haven’t worked in ages, leaving staff without even the simple dignity of a proper meal break.
How can we expect peak performance from our justice personnel when the Ministry cannot even provide them with a working phone line or a functioning break room? It paints a picture of an administration that simply does not care.
The IND Building: A Monument to Dysfunctional Governance
The situation at the Immigration and Naturalization Department (IND) building is a perfect microcosm of this Ministry's failure. It is a "free-for-all." Staff morale has plummeted, leading to a culture of inconsistency that is actively harming the country.
Reports are surfacing of employees simply not showing up for work, yet still collecting a full-time salary with zero consequences. Worse, there are allegations that the head of immigration is not reporting these absences to the SZV (Social & Health Insurances). If true, this is not just negligence; it is a fraudulent waste of public funds happening right under the Minister’s nose.
This chaos has real-world consequences. The processing of residency documents has slowed to a crawl. In a modern economy, the ability to process legal residency efficiently is a cornerstone of stability. Under Minister Tackling, it has become a bottleneck of frustration.
Choking the Economy
Perhaps the most damaging fallout of this incompetence is the message it sends to the outside world. Developers and investors—people looking to bring significant capital and jobs to St. Maarten—are hitting a brick wall.
They are ready to invest, build, and contribute to our economy. Yet, they find themselves unable to regulate their residency statuses. They are trapped in the same bureaucratic nightmare as everyone else. When investors cannot get their papers in order, they don't just wait around forever; they take their money elsewhere. The Minister’s inability to fix these "simple matters" is costing St. Maarten millions in potential development.
Silence is Not an Answer
According to staff on the ground, these grievances have not been kept secret. They have been brought to the attention of the Minister. The problems are known. The solutions are obvious. Yet, the response has been a deafening silence and total inaction.
Leadership is about solving problems, not occupying a chair. Minister Tackling needs to step up and address the rotting infrastructure, the demoralized workforce, and the administrative paralysis crippling her Ministry. The time for excuses has passed. The public, the workers, and the investors of St. Maarten deserve a Ministry of Justice that actually works, not one that is falling apart at the seams.
PART 2 SOON TO BE PUBLISHED.
