On Thursday, September 11, 2025, the Ministers of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten gathered in The Hague for the Judicial Four-Party Consultation (JVO). The meeting, a follow-up to the June session in Aruba, resulted in new agreements that strengthen Kingdom-wide cooperation.
Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling used the platform to ensure Sint Maarten’s challenges and contributions remained central to the discussions. Detention was a key focus given the difficulties at Point Blanche Prison. Minister Tackling welcomed Aruba’s offer of support and emphasized that such exchanges reflect the Kingdom’s strength in solidarity, noting her vision for Sint Maarten to contribute similarly once the new prison is fully operational in 2028. The Ministers also agreed on the urgency of convening a Kingdom-wide Taskforce on Detention to identify priority actions. Alongside this, they signed agreements on cooperation in forensic care, including new training programs for professionals working with forensic patients and detainees.
Another outcome was the signing of an agreement officially ending the outdated guardianship arrangement under which Dutch guardians were automatically assigned to minors moving from the islands to the Netherlands. The change ensures fairer treatment and greater recognition of local child protection services.
Youth crime prevention, first introduced to the JVO agenda by Sint Maarten, remained high on the agenda. Minister Tackling strongly advocated for a prevention-first strategy, stressing that long-term societal challenges can only be reduced through early interventions. She pledged to work closely with the Ministries of Education and Public Health, Social Development and Labor to ensure the issue is tackled across government, not only within Justice.
At Minister Tackling’s invitation, Professor Marieke Liem of Leiden University presented findings from the Dutch Caribbean Homicide Monitor. For Sint Maarten, the data confirmed disproportionately high homicide rates compared to Kingdom partners, though lower than the wider Caribbean average. The Ministers recognized the gravity of the challenges that Sint Maarten is experiencing and its connection to the lack of detention capacity. All Ministers expressed their support to Minister Tackling to address these challenges.
The Ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to training local prosecutors. Sint Maarten’s own candidate, Ms. Royanna Baly, was featured in the program, which strengthens local judicial capacity and ensures that justice systems remain rooted in the communities they serve.
Minister Tackling further stressed the urgency of tackling subversive crime, calling for a shared Kingdom understanding of the term. She noted that the definition must also include crimes that directly affect citizens, such as robberies and violent offenses, and warned that when these crimes go unpunished due to detention shortages, public trust in the rule of law is eroded. Tackling highlighted the continued threat posed by illegal firearms and the importance of addressing how such weapons enter the country.
This theme will be further explored during the next JVO, which Sint Maarten will host from January 14–16, 2026. Minister Tackling expressed confidence that the agreements and outcomes achieved in The Hague mark important steps toward building a stronger and more resilient justice system across the Kingdom.
https://www.sintmaartengov.org/news/Pages/Minister-Tackling-Advances-Sint-Maarten’s-Justice-Priorities-at-Judicial-Four-Party-Consultation-in-The-Hague.aspx
