St. Martin News Network - St. Maarten

Pointe Blanche Prison cells in deplorable conditions.

pointeblancheprison19042019 PHILIPSBURG:---- Inmates that are incarcerated at the Pointe Blanche Prison are held in deplorable conditions. SMN News received some photos of the inside the cells along with the concerns of the inmates which is below:

If they are implementing the Dutch laws in Sint Maarten, we should be treated the same as the Dutch prisoners. The same rules should apply in Sint Maarten as in the Netherlands. Look at the situation of the prison in Sint Maarten. The food served to the prisoners are not edible. Some of us in prison are tax-paying citizens or our mothers and/or our fathers are tax paying citizens and it not comprehensible that we should live in this deplorable situation. The prison is in a very bad condition it's not livable. Some of our local prisoners are getting sick and matters are only getting worst. The prisoner are also human but live such an inhumane manner.
By charging someone under the Dutch, the Dutch law living condition should also apply in the prison. If you did a crime in Sint Maarten it's logical that you get punished, but getting punished under the Dutch laws but after you get so far by being punished you should be treated under the Netherlands human rights. It should not be one sided where judgement is based on the Dutch laws and then be sent to prison to live under these inhumane conditions. The food is terrible, the bathrooms have running water to hit the ground and touch back your skin and the floor are not cleaned properly and is the same place where you have to wash your clothes. It is the old-fashioned way to wash clothes on our hands and full of dirt and muck. The beds are falling apart, the walls are falling apart, when it rains water comes in the cells, the paint is coming off the walls, you can see the cracks in the walls, and the gates are rusted.
Prisoners’ skin are braking out and getting rashes on your skin. The cells for the prisoners are not being fixed. They take a few pictures of the outside and the roof to make it look good. The exterior of the prison is being renovated, while the interior is falling apart. So, to the public it would appear that the prison is being worked on, but that is not the case. We are not seeing any improvements on the inside as nothing is being solved within the walls. Inside the prison walls is inhumane. We have human rights too. We need county Sint Maarten to hear our voices. Jail is not made for animals. Jails is for anyone that made a mistakes or committed a crime in life. Half of the youths from Sint Maarten who leave the Point Blanche prison have mental problems. The prison is a rehabilitation facility where after serving the sentence, a prisoner should be able to adapt back into society. With all these challenges and no social workers or other care facilities, prisoners are thrown back into society with more mental challenges than when they were brought to prison. As a country, do we want our citizens to live in these conditions, do we want this for our youths. Should the prisoners live in this inhumane manner. No matter what they did to be in prison they are someone son or daughter who is paying taxes.

Detectives request public assistance in murder investigation.

casablancamurder18042019 PHILIPSBURG:--- In the early morning hours, on December 22nd, 2018, two men were shot in a vehicle on the property of adult entertainment club “Casa Blanca”. One of the victims with initials, G. F., succumbed to his injuries.
The Detective Department of the Police Force of Sint Maarten is intensely working on solving this murder investigation. The investigation is in full swing and is narrowing towards one of the suspects of this murder. Therefore, the investigating team is still looking for witnesses to assist with this investigation.
If anyone has any additional information, please contact the Major Crime Unit at the phone number +17215422222 Ext. 216/224 or the temporary tip line at +17215567498 if you wish to remain anonymous.

KPSM Press Release.

EXCLUSIVE: SZV Doctor threatened after she refused to backdate documents for convict associated with PM Romeo Marlin.

~ Where is the Dutch and SMCP on Integrity matters?

PHILIPSBURG: --- Information reaching SMN News states that a doctor working for the Social Insurance Bank, SZV was threatened if she did not comply with the requests of the Prime Minister of St. Maarten Leona Romeo Marlin and backdate certain documents that will benefit convicted detective Jerry Gerardus.
According to the well-placed source, Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin instructed the Director of SZV Glen Carty to have the documents backdated for Gerardus who is currently on sick leave (A/O) but is still receiving his government salary even though convicted.

Jerry Gerardus was an advisor to the Prime Minister prior to his arrest on July 4th, 2018. Gerardus had to remain in pre-trial detention until his court date. However, the stained police officer fell ill while in pretrial detention and had to be released on special conditions. The source said the SZV control doctor refused to commit the fraud and forgery and as such she was threatened. It is not clear if the documents were doctored after the threats were made. On October 19th, 2018 the Prosecution requested 3-years prison sentence for Gerardus who was charged with theft and embezzlement.

Details on the charges are as follows: theft of diamonds, cut stone, or jewelry and embezzling proceeds of the sale, bribery in service as a police officer, forgery and breach of confidently. More on the Prosecution case against Gerardus can be found here (https://www.smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/30323-3-years-requested-for-police-officer-jerry-gerardus-suspected-of-theft-and-embezzlement.html).

While the stained cop had several brushes with the law while working in the Police Force of St. Maarten only in 2018 actions such as charges and prosecution was ever brought against Gerardus. At the time he was working in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin, while in detention the Prime Minister is the one that met several times with the Attorney representing Jerry Gerardus compromising the integrity of the cabinet of the Prime Minister. Besides meeting with Gerardus Attorney Romeo Marlin allegedly went to the Philipsburg Police Station and created a commotion there when Gerardus was in custody.

It is further alleged that was not the first time the Prime Minister tried to use the power of her office to interfere with judicial proceedings. On February 13th, 2019 the Court of First Instance handed down its decision on the WHALE investigation whereby Jerry Gerardus was convicted to 3 years in prison while he was banned from holding any position in the Korps Politie for a period of 8 years

While the Court of First Instance pronounced its decision the Prosecutor’s Office is yet to make the decision of the Court public while the published decisions of the Court have been manipulated in order to save the face of the justice system. It is should also be known that Gerardus has been in the pockets of several business people where it is alleged, that he was leaking information regarding criminal investigations.

Besides that, Gerardus has been the pockets of several persons and has used the office of the Police to threaten several persons. Some employees of Government-owned company GEBE has had their share of harassment and threat from the stained cop who is a friend of GEBE Internal Auditor and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of SZV Sharine Daniel.

It should be noted that Jerry Gerardus has been convicted so is Regina Labega and both persons are still working in the cabinet of Ministers and Prime Minister while other civil servants have become targets if they were even questioned by police or suspected of committing any type of crime. The UD/ SMCP coalition government seems to think that the people of St. Maarten and those in the outer world are not taking notes on their flip-flopping when it comes to matters of integrity. Government chooses to go against the principles of good governance, integrity and the LMA to keep their cronies on the government payroll and in office. Bear in mind, the Public Relations Officer for the Minister of TEATT Stuart Johnson and Perry Geerlings was also convicted in his native country St. Kitts for murder/ manslaughter.

While the people of St. Maarten seem to understand and have accepted the modus operandi of the UD/ SMCP Government the very people are still wondering what the point of views of the Dutch Government regarding matters of integrity are and if they have raised any concerns with the country’s Chief Minister. Did the Dutch Government use their power to silence the Prosecutor’s Office and the Court of First Instance on releasing the Courts Verdict that was rendered on February 13th, 2019?

The very Dutch Government have been using microscopic lenses to target certain politicians and high ranking business people on St. Maarten however, they seem to have some type of agreement with the current Government of St. Maarten since they have allowed these blatant integrity breaches to continue even though the former Government were forced to accept their conditions for the Recovery Funds, one being the Integrity Chamber. Is there an agreement with the Council of Ministers of St. Maarten and the Dutch Government regarding matters of integrity especially since the present COM have to decide to sell the assets of the country to the Dutch Government one being the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) in order for them to take over supervisory and management of the Government-owned company for it secure a loan through the World Bank and the European Investment Bank are only some of the questions that are being asked.

Two arrested at the Princess Juliana International Airport.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, April 17th a male and a female suspect identified with initials C.V. J. and M.M. H. were arrested by the Alpha Team at the Princess Juliana International Airport. The suspects were arrested after gun clip filled with ammunition was found in their carry-on luggage. The suspects were transported to the Philipsburg Police Head Quarters where they were held for questioning. The investigation continues.

KPSM Press Release.

NAGICO Insurances Assumes SAGICOR Life Inc. Portfolio in St. Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Effective 8 April 2019, NAGICO LIFE INSURANCE N.V. AND NATIONAL GENERAL INSURANCE CO. N. V. (“NAGICO INSURANCES”) assumed a portfolio of business from Sagicor Life Inc.

The transition from Sagicor Life Inc. to NAGICO Insurances will be a smooth one for customers as NAGICO Insurances advises that policyholders should continue to correspond with and remit their premiums to their Agent as they will continue to administer the policies. However, in the event policyholders wish to contact NAGICO Insurances directly they should send their correspondences to Neetu Lalwani at NAGICO Life Insurance N.V. for Life and Pensions and to Christopher Hunte at National General Insurance Co. N.V. for Health.

The office of NAGICO Insurances is situated at C.A. Cannegieter Street, Philipsburg, St. Maarten and the key contacts referred to above can also be reached via telephone: 1-721-542-2739 and email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
“NAGICO Insurances prides itself on being fast and responsive and making the customer experience simple, hassle-free and enjoyable. We look forward to welcoming these new policyholders into the NAGICO Family and providing them with a high level of service, security and stability.” said Detlef Hooyboer the Group Chief Executive Officer.