Dear Editor
St. Maarten, it is time for the politicians and government to stop playing politics with the people and let the truth be told. I am a correctional officer at the Pointe Blanche Prison, and even though I was not present on the day of the fire, my colleagues relayed the message to me, which does not match what the minister has stated.
My colleagues explained that around 3:30 PM, there were three minor fires that they controlled and extinguished with a fire extinguisher. Everything was under control until they received direct orders from D. Leonard, the Head of Detention, to immediately leave their posts and go to the front. Due to this decision, the inmates were left unattended, and the minor fires, which could have been managed if the guards had remained at their posts, escalated. Only one guard took the keys and went to the location of the fire.
I am not here to discuss who saved whom or who did what, I am here to address the injustices that my colleagues and I feel affect not only the inmates but also us as correctional officers. The Honorable Minister stated that 51 inmates had to be relocated to a safe location. However, what do we consider "safe"? Twelve inmates were transferred to Simpson Bay Prison without any communication to their families about their relocation and safety. The remaining 39 inmates are crammed into the same uninhabitable building, having been moved there just hours after the fire was extinguished. The areas where the inmates are located lack restroom facilities, forcing my colleagues and me to constantly escort them back and forth to the two porta-potties. This situation poses significant risks, especially when we have to transfer inmates to the porta-potty at 2 AM.
It is ironic that all these new measures, including lights and cameras being installed at the prison, are being implemented now, yet my colleagues and I have spoken about the dangerous situations we endure every day for years. It should not have taken such a severe incident for these issues to be addressed seriously.
While we appreciate the Honorable Minister bringing in five correctional officers from Aruba, we must ask who is covering the expenses. Who is feeding, housing, and providing rentals for these correctional officers? Though we welcome the assistance, what about our compensation that is due to us? We heard the Honorable Minister state in Parliament that multiple other departments will have their LBS signed, but for prison guards, the number was zero. We risk our lives every day, working with minimal supplies and manpower, all for a meager salary of 1,000 to 2,000 Guilders.
Even though I don’t agree with how the inmates went about their strike, I must acknowledge that they have shed light on the difficult situations we endure daily as Saint Maarten correctional officers. I hope we, too, can receive the compensation and have our LBS signed, just like everyone else.
Sincerely Lily of the Valley
