PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday March 5th – 11th, 2014, the Minister of Justice the Honorable Dennis Richardson made his way to the Dominican Republic with the intention to strengthening the lines of communication and the working relations between the two countries.
The Minister met with the Minister of Justice of the Dominican Republic the Honorable Francisco D. Brito. The discussion was considered fruitful as both Ministers indicated the willingness to strengthen and broaden cooperation between the countries in the Caribbean to combat international organized crime and its threats to the governments and communities of the Caribbean. The possibility of prisoners exchange was also explored.
During the trip the Minister then paid a courtesy visit to the Dutch Consul Mrs. Marijke A. Van Drunen-Little. The consul ensures that she is aware of Sint Maarten's willingness to work together for the benefit of all involved. The Dutch Consul assured that she was very pleased with the visit and confirmed that she is also ready and willing to work with Sint Maarten as she already has established working relations with other islands such as Curacao and Aruba; she reaffirmed her commitment by stating that she will be visiting Sint Maarten very soon. The difficulties in contacting the embassy were addressed. Several changes for improving service are causing temporary problems. Clients are hereby informed to submit their visa request by email if the usual connections prove difficult.