Last week, Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling represented Sint Maarten at the Judicial Four-Party Consultation (JVO) held in Curaçao from September 1–3, where the Ministers of Justice of Sint Maarten, Curaçao, Aruba and the Netherlands met to address shared justice and security challenges across the Kingdom. Curaçao hosted the consultation under the chairmanship of Minister of Justice Shalten Hato.
The three-day consultation brought together justice officials and Ministers to review progress on existing cooperation arrangements and determine where further joint action is required. Discussions covered a broad range of issues affecting Sint Maarten and the wider Caribbean region, including youth crime prevention, organized and cross-border crime, border control and migration, maritime security, detention, illicit financial flows, drug trafficking, data protection and capacity within the justice chain.
Youth crime prevention
A key priority for Sint Maarten was the continued development of a more preventive approach to youth crime. Minister Tackling emphasized that effective intervention cannot begin only after a young person enters the criminal justice system. Greater attention must be placed on the circumstances that place young people at risk and on strengthening intervention before criminal behaviour becomes entrenched.
The four countries agreed on the importance of continuing their joint work on youth crime prevention. Curaçao and Aruba will take forward the chairmanship and secretariat of the working group in this area, with further exchange expected in the coming months.
Regional threats stronger cooperation
The Ministers addressed challenges that cannot effectively be tackled by one country acting alone. For Sint Maarten, cooperation remains particularly important in combating organized crime, illegal trafficking, criminal financial flows and other cross-border threats.
The discussions included the role of regional and shared justice institutions, the Coast Guard, investigative cooperation, police capacity and opportunities for countries to provide one another with expertise and support where capacity is limited.
During this JVO the Ministers also formally signed the amendment protocol to the Administrative Approach to Undermining Crime (Bestuurlijke Aanpak Ondermijning). The amendment protocol had been an agenda item at the previous JVO but had not yet been formally signed. With the signing now completed, the outstanding agenda item has been formally concluded.
Minister Tackling underscored that cooperation within the Kingdom must remain based on mutual respect for the responsibilities and autonomy of each country.
For Sint Maarten, this means actively participating in regional cooperation while ensuring that the country’s own priorities and circumstances remain fully represented when Kingdom-wide agreements are discussed.
Strategic session
In addition to the formal ministerial meeting, the Ministers participated in a strategic session on September 2. The strategic format, first incorporated into the JVO hosted by Sint Maarten in January 2026, provides the Ministers with dedicated space to look beyond individual decision points and discuss the longer-term direction of justice cooperation within the Kingdom.
Minister Tackling welcomed the continuation of this approach, noting that the challenges confronting the justice systems of the Caribbean countries increasingly require both immediate operational action and longer-term strategic planning.
Sint Maarten’s interests represented
Throughout the consultation, Minister Tackling reiterated that Sint Maarten remains responsible for the development and strengthening of its own justice system while recognizing the practical value of cooperation where countries face common challenges.
Addressing the people of Sint Maarten following the consultation, Minister Tackling emphasized:
“Your government was at this table today and your interests were argued for.”
The Ministry of Justice will continue to follow up on the agreements and areas of cooperation discussed during the JVO and will work with its Kingdom partners and justice-sector organizations to translate these discussions into practical steps that strengthen safety, resilience and the rule of law in Sint Maarten.
