PHILIPSBURG:— “I would like to start off by thanking everyone for the positive feedback I received regarding my first article “The Forgotten ones” describing the violations currently happening in the Point Blanch Prison.
I strongly believe in a functional rehabilitation center, which is the core of reintegrating reformed people back into the community. Note, if a person is not reformed or rehabilitated, he or she will be a danger to our society. What is more, who wants to feel uncomfortable or live in an unsafe place?
Consequently, I will continue writing on the ongoing saga in the Point Blanch Prison until changes or the intention of starting the change are made.
According to Article 3 Lid 1 of the “Landbesluit, Houdende Algemene Maatregelen, houdende vaststelling van de gevangenismaatregel”, the director ensures that the detainee, while maintaining the character of the prison sentence or measure, is treated in a manner that respects his human dignity. This has not been happening according to the prison association. In a letter sent to the director and its management team, the prisoners have stated their concerns on the continued lack of medical service, healthy food, different schooling programs, inmate and guards’ safety, work, verlof, time off for good, and much more. In return, they received a reply from the director, Mr. Carty stating that all their worries are pure concerns stemming from their imagination and that everything has been worked on or is a pending improvement. Furthermore, they inform the inmates about the management’s effort of tirelessly working to improve and enhance the prison system, that according to them is doing good and is going to be better in the future. Thus, the prisoners must wait for the changes to occur, although they are open to sitting and discussing future endeavors.
The Prison Association invited me to a follow-up meeting to inform me about the current situation and in addition wants to hand me over signed documents with the signatures of all inmates proving that they do not agree with the letter they received from management. Therefore, will continue the passive strike until they get the humane treatment they deserve.
There were different situations that were brought to my attention. These situations show that many violations are currently occurring at the prison. Article 7 Lid 1 from the “LANDBESLUIT, HOUDENDE ALGEMENE MAATREGELEN, houdende vastelling van de Gevangenismaatregelen”, is the biggest violation happening now according to the inmates. For example;
1. During a meeting that the Prison Association was having with their representative they called in a nurse to show that there is never a nurse on sight. As the inmates already knew there was none. This was done to prove to the representative that what the director stated is incorrect and the availability of a nurse on sight is almost null.
2. On the 1st of February 2023 around 4:30pm a fight broke out in the Point Blanch Prison. There were only two female prison guards and one older of age male guard available. The members of the prison association had to assist the two female guards in breaking up the fight. Luckily no one was seriously injured, although one of the inmates’ suffered scratches from a rusty dagger. This is unacceptable and the director and management should be reprimanded for the mismanagement and understaffing that occurred for years. This is a severe danger to the lives of the guards. How in the right mind can a management team place two females on duty, handling an amount of more than 30 prisoners? This cannot be tolerated and is just absurd.
What will be done to make sure this never happens again?
3. On the 4th of February 2023 inmate J Davelaar suffered a severe toothache. Inmate Davelaar requested assistance from the female guard on duty around 11 pm. The guard had to ask other inmates for medication since there was no nurse available and the inmate could not withstand the severe pain. At 3 am the guard was able to retrieve Ibuprofen and carried it to inmate Davelaar. Note that inmate Davelaar was ringing the intercom since the morning begging for help but got assisted by a guard during the afternoon hours because the guard was doing her protocol checks. Please note: Chapter 2.4.7 Toegang zorg of “De Point Blanch gevangenis en huis van bewaring het Miss Lalie Center, de politiecellen in Philipsburg en het grenshospitium in Simpson Bay”.
(Hint: a shortage in staff is causing many violations to occur in the Point Blanch prison and the guards can only try their utmost to help)
4. Sylvester Maduro is an inmate that suffers from frequent seizures and other medical problems. He has written many letters to the director, the nurse, and the Committee van Toezicht and till today has not received a reply to his letter. (Please see an attached letter written on September 12, 2022) (In Article 16 Lid 2 B and C of the “Landsverordening tot vaststeling van beginselen van het gevangeniswezen” states that the task of the supervisory committee is: (B) to take cognizance of the grievances put forward by the detainees. (C) to ensure that written complaints are handled in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XII (Complaint). Inmate Maduro is in fear for his life, due to the lack of guards and the continuous absence of a nurse in the prison. If inmate Maduro ever gets a severe seizure, it might end badly since there would be no one to immediately assist him with his seizure. When was the last time EHBO training was given to the guards? These are concerns that must be seriously looked at.
5. Another medical situation that was brought to my attention by the prison association is that of inmate F Gomez. This inmate was chopped on his hand from a machete, where two of his tendons got damaged. Mr. Gomez cannot fully extend his hand, and this has been going on for about 7 years.
As you can imagine, inmate Gomez has been requesting to see a specialized doctor in the field of limbs so he can start the rehabilitation process of moving his hands.
The above-mentioned matters are a few of the discrepancies currently happening in the medical part of the prison.
When it comes to the food it has been stated on the floor in Parliament that the prisoners get breakfast at 7:00 am, get lunch at 11:30 am and get supper at 3:30 pm. This statement is correctly stated, as it is written in the “Huisregels boek” but is not happening in real-time. On Wednesday the 8th, Thursday the 9th, and Friday the 10th of February, the prisoners were placed on a lockdown (entire day). Their breakfast was served at 10:30 am on Wednesday and 11 am on Thursday. Supper was served at 3:30 pm, therefore I ask myself, did we speak on what we wrote in a book as “regels” in Parliament or are we supposed to inform the Parliament and the people of SXM of the truth? The breakfast in the prison has been for years a stale sandwich with the choice of cheese or peanut butter. The inmates have been asking to at least give them the option of Jam since there are a few of the inmates that cannot eat peanuts.
The inmates have been on a passive strike for a while, therefore have not been assisting in the kitchen as it was so called mentioned in the Parliament meeting on. So, please inform me how are they getting their food on the before-mentioned timeslots.
Instead of covering the sun with a finger, it’s time for the Minister, director, and management team to sit down and seriously evaluate and recalculate the monetary funds needed to make sure the prison can improve its medical facility and service, what is more, ensures the prison fulfills the requirements set by the law.
The lives of others are not a political game and the internal power struggles should be put aside and together strive for a better facility. We are talking about the human lives of both the prisoners and the guards. The way things are going currently, it seems like management doesn’t care about any of them.
Once more, I want to show my dearest sympathy for all victims of a crime and want to reassure you that I am not defending an inmate’s action or crime on the contrary I am repulsed by some of their crimes, nonetheless, I am simply bringing awareness to the human rights violation currently occurring within our Judicial system.
There is more!
As a result, stay tuned because the saga continues…
Ydellienne Heerenveen
View comments
Hide comments