PHILIPSBURG:--- On Sunday February 15, 2015 the Dutch Secretary of State of the Safety and Justice Department from the Netherlands Fred Teeven paid a visit to the Miss Lalie Center (MLC), the new closed youth facility of Sint Maarten. Teeven was making a short stop on his way from the Netherlands to Sint Eustatius. The MLC team offered a guided tour to Teeven. The tour was led by Natasha Carty and Inge ter Huurne and
the Projectteam consisting of Richelda Emmanuel, Cynthia van Samson and youth prosecutor Karola van Nie. Among others also the Secretary of State Udo Aron, chief prosecutor Ton Maan and the Dutch Representative Gert Versluis were present.
Teeven was very impressed with the modern facilities and the treatment setting for the criminal and civil placed boys in the age of 12 to 18 years. Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson signed an (cooperation) agreement a few months ago with Stichting Horizon in the Netherlands, a Foundation with a lot of experience in closed youth facilities in the Netherlands, to work together with the Miss Lalie Center. Teeven stated that he supports this way of cooperation, for which local employees are being twinned with Dutch professionals. "Why invent the wheel if a foundation like Horizon is willing to share so much of its knowledge and experience and is open for cooperation. It is clear that with mutual respect beautiful things can be achieved" according to Teeven.
