Acting Justice Minister Marinka Gumbs told Parliament that the first phase could be completed two to three months later than previously anticipated. She also said staffing shortages will persist and set November 30 as the target for processing justice workers’ salary files.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The first phase of St. Maarten’s new prison could be completed in November or December 2027 instead of September, Acting Minister of Justice Marinka Gumbs told Parliament on Monday. The revised schedule still requires formal approval, and the project’s building permit has not yet been issued.
Answering questions on the draft 2027 budget, Gumbs said the civil works permits were submitted to Parliament on November 5. She said the building permit application had otherwise been found satisfactory, with clarifications arising from the Fire Department’s review still being addressed.
Technical assessments, site conditions and a review of construction options prompted the proposed schedule changes, she said. The second phase could also shift from July 2028 to the final quarter of that year.
Construction completion and prison opening have separate timelines
Gumbs said roughly one month is expected for handover, commissioning and testing after construction. The ministry will confirm the opening and detainee transfer dates once the revised schedule is approved and the facility passes its readiness assessments.
Before detainees can be moved, critical safety and security systems must be tested, enough staff must be in place, operating procedures must be approved, and essential prisoner services must be available. A transition team is coordinating those preparations.
The draft staffing plan proposes 72 full-time correctional officer positions, subject to approval. Gumbs said 22 officers had been recruited by October 15 and had begun training. Another recruitment round for 15 officers is planned for early 2027. The ministry is also exploring an extension of the agreement under which correctional officers from Suriname provide interim support. The initial one-year agreement runs through the end of February.
Police shortfall persists as unarmed tourist unit takes shape
Gumbs told MPs that seven police trainees nearing deployment and five more expected to be ready in about two years would be insufficient to close the staffing gap. She described the proposed tourist police pilot as a shorter-term measure to ease pressure on the force.
The tourist unit would be unarmed and operate under the Police Force of St. Maarten. Its duties would focus on prevention, visibility, supervision and public assistance. Gumbs said the plan was in its final stages and that Justice would then engage the Ministry of TEATT on implementation.
Responding to MP Sjamira Roseburg about police holding cells, Gumbs said urgent repairs were carried out in 2025, and roof work completed in 2026 was undergoing final verification. Procurement for the final phase was completed in October, with contract signing and implementation preparations awaiting final approvals. That phase includes mold remediation, waterproofing, and new sanitary fixtures designed to resist vandalism. The specialized fixtures require about 12 weeks to prepare and ship. Gumbs said the dedicated funding covers the holding cells and associated work.
November 30 is the target for processing salary files
Gumbs confirmed November 30, 2026, as the ministry’s target for validating salary-scale calculations and preparing the formal advice for the second phase of the justice personnel placement process. Payments will depend on subsequent Finance Ministry review, execution of the relevant national decrees, and Treasury disbursement. She gave no date for workers to receive the money.
The ministry identified 5.8 million guilders for the placement process and retroactive payments. The ministry is checking calculations covering October 10, 2010, through December 31, 2022, department by department. Of 15 active employees still awaiting their decrees and corresponding retroactive pay, three cases were in the finalization phase. Gumbs said the ministry intends to submit its updated staffing plan to Parliament’s Justice Committee in the first quarter of 2027.
Prosecutor’s Office lacks verified totals for unpaid fines and victim compensation
Gumbs said the Prosecutor’s Office could not provide a verified count or total value for unpaid fines. Outdated or incorrect civil registry addresses complicate collection, she said. The ministry is considering recording telephone and WhatsApp contact details to improve follow-up.
The Prosecutor’s Office also could not give a total for compensation awarded by the courts in 2024 and 2025 without reviewing individual judgments. It reported seven requests in 2025 and five in 2026 for statutory advances of 5,000 Caribbean guilders each. The figures count requests. Gumbs did not provide a verified total of payments made.
She said Victim Support Services helps people communicate with police and prosecutors but lacks the capacity to support every victim continuously through trial, appeal and an offender’s release. The draft Criminal Procedure Code would give victims and eligible bereaved relatives a right, subject to conditions, to explain the impact of an offense in court. The ministry’s response to proposed amendments and external opinions could reach Parliament in the first quarter of 2027. Gumbs said there were no immediate plans to raise the ceiling for court-awarded victim compensation or the statutory advance limit.
Youth rehabilitation, Customs and immigration
Gumbs said the ministry intends to dedicate the Miss Lalie Center to rehabilitation for children under 18, with a separate ward and regime at the new prison for young adults aged 18 to 21. Refurbishment and possible expansion of the center remain under consideration. Work planned for 2027 will define how the facility should operate and what upgrades it requires.
The proposed 1.196 million Caribbean guilders in Crime Fund spending covers 11 projects for 2027. Gumbs said the 2026 policy plan would continue to guide the fund while the ministry prepares a handbook on applications and eligibility. She identified Second Chance Builders as an existing project intended to offer entrepreneurial training, mentoring and reintegration support to about 15 to 25 participants in the coming year.
On Customs, Gumbs said preparations for the ASYCUDA automated customs management system were complete. The project estimate rose from 740,000 to 748,000, prompting renewed approval from the Council of Ministers. The agreement with UNCTAD was scheduled for signature in November, after which implementation could begin in phases.
The ministry is still reviewing MP Omar Ottley’s proposed amendment addressing the residence status of children born and raised in St. Maarten whose immigration status remains uncertain. Gumbs said the final eligibility criteria would determine how many additional applications the department might receive.
In the follow-up exchange, MP Francisco Lacroes clarified that his yacht-clearance question concerned seasonal operators who come to St. Maarten to offer services without local registration. He proposed checking the business license or permit of third-party agents while allowing people aboard a vessel to clear it using its manifest. Parliament recessed after his clarification, before Gumbs responded to that specific proposal.