Minister says existing permissions cover current activities and disputes claims of a ten-month delay, identifying a six-month procurement setback instead.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling has confirmed that the building permit for Sint Maarten’s new prison has not yet been signed off, and that advice from the Fire Department is still outstanding.

Responding to questions in Parliament, Tackling referred to clarification from the Minister of VROMI and said the project still has the permissions needed for the work currently underway.

Her explanation distinguishes between authorization for ongoing work and the outstanding building permit.

Outstanding Approvals Remain Part of the Project

Tackling said the construction company requires four permits, three of which it has already obtained.

She identified the remaining permit as the hindrance permit and said it is being sought. According to the minister, that permit is not required until the second construction phase.

Separately, she acknowledged that the building permit remains unsigned while awaiting Fire Department advice.

The responses did not identify all three permits already obtained or explain how the building permit relates to the four-permit count. They also did not provide a date for the outstanding Fire Department advice or final building permit approval.

Minister Disputes Ten-Month Delay Claim

Tackling also challenged a parliamentary question suggesting that the prison project had been delayed by ten months.

“The delay was six months, not 10,” she said.

According to the minister, the six-month setback occurred during the procurement process in 2025, when the construction contract had to be retendered.

She described it as an unplanned delay that affected the wider project programme and said its causes and consequences had been consistently communicated since mid-2025.

Procurement Delay and Mobilization Are Different Issues

Tackling said additional time required for contractor mobilization in early 2026 must be treated separately from the procurement setback.

The mobilization period, she explained, remained within the time and contingency allowances built into the programme and therefore did not further extend the overall project timeframe.

She rejected the suggestion that the six-month delay was itself merely a buffer period.

“The six months was a real unplanned delay. The contingency is a separate allowance,” she said.

For a project of this scale, she explained, contingency provides room to absorb foreseeable risks and variations. In this instance, it accommodated the additional mobilization time.

Completion date not Specified in these Responses

Tackling characterized the presentation of a ten-month delay as “disingenuous,” arguing that the revised timeline had been communicated for more than a year.

However, these responses did not specify a completion date or provide a detailed construction schedule against which progress could be assessed.

The minister’s position is that current activities can proceed under existing permissions, while the building permit and hindrance permit remain outstanding.

Utility must begin corrective work within four weeks or face US$1,000 daily penalties; property holder must allow access to longstanding transformer station.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Court of First Instance has ordered GEBE to begin correcting a dangerous exposed-cable situation at a Simpson Bay property, while separately questioning why the utility disconnected the property’s electricity despite an undisputed credit balance.

In a September 29, 2026, judgment, published on October 5, Judge L.J. Saarloos rejected a demand to remove GEBE’s transformer station and associated installations. However, the court also rejected GEBE’s position that the property holder should resolve the exposed cables on its own.

GEBE must begin adjusting the cable route within four weeks of the judgment, carrying out the work responsibly and in accordance with applicable standards. Failure to comply carries a penalty of US$1,000 for each day or part of a day.

The deadline concerns the start of corrective work, rather than completion of the entire project.

Judge finds dangerous conditions during site visit

The dispute involves DBMP LLC, a Marshall Islands company holding long-lease rights to the property, and Electrum Group LLC, a Nevis company acting as its manager.

During an inspection on April 23, 2026, the court encountered conditions it described as plainly dangerous. The judgment noted that little appeared to have changed between that inspection and the ruling.

DBMP wanted GEBE to remove the exposed cables. GEBE refused, arguing that DBMP had moved them and should therefore restore the situation itself.

The court found that the evidence did not establish that DBMP had relocated the cables in connection with the installation of septic tanks. It also rejected GEBE’s account of their previous position.

DBMP alleged that an exposed cable carried high voltage. The judge did not need to resolve that specific assertion to conclude that the existing situation required a prompt solution.

GEBE Must Correct Cable Route

The court ordered a less extensive remedy than the complete removal DBMP sought.

GEBE may carry out the necessary adjustments within the property’s existing cable route, which DBMP must permit. Alternatively, the utility could reroute the cables eastward from the transformer station and then toward Welfare Road, subject to the government’s approval for use of the relevant land.

The judgment suggested that discussions involving GEBE, DBMP and Country Sint Maarten could help resolve the matter. DBMP had also asked to purchase the adjoining government land.

The judge hoped the orders and penalties would prompt both sides to meet quickly and agree on how to carry out their obligations.

Court Questions Electricity Disconnection

In a separate observation, the court addressed DBMP’s complaint that GEBE had disconnected its electricity.

GEBE acknowledged the disconnection. DBMP demonstrated that its account had a positive balance, which GEBE did not dispute. The court therefore noted that the disconnection could not be explained by payment arrears.

The judge observed that the reason appeared to be DBMP’s filing of the lawsuit, but expressly acknowledged that the proceedings had not fully debated this issue.

That observation was not a final finding that GEBE disconnected the customer in retaliation.

Because DBMP had not requested a reconnection order in this case, the court could not issue one. Nevertheless, it expressly suggested that GEBE restore the connection at least provisionally, to avoid further escalation and a possible separate urgent court proceeding.

Transformer Station Has Lawful Basis

Although DBMP secured an order requiring corrective cable work, it failed to have the transformer station and associated installations removed.

The court accepted evidence that the original long-lease holder authorized construction of the transformer station on December 31, 1991.

Initially located near Welfare Road, the station was moved behind the building in 2006, in consultation with the then long-lease holder.

The National Bank of Anguilla acquired the long-lease rights at a public auction in April 2012 and subsequently transferred them to DBMP. DBMP purchased the rights for US$1.1 million, receiving them through a notarial deed dated May 4, 2017, following government approval.

The court found that DBMP acquired the property subject to GEBE’s existing authorized use. The same applied to the utility’s installations and cables already present when DBMP purchased the rights.

Long-Lease Obligations Require Utility Access

The judgment relied on Article 12 of Sint Maarten’s ordinance governing the granting of long-lease rights over government land.

The court explained that the applicable conditions require the long-lease holder to accommodate utility infrastructure and access for its installation and maintenance.

It also emphasized that GEBE, although a private legal entity, performs a public function by supplying electricity and water to residents and businesses.

The court declared that GEBE has lawful use, access and management rights relating to the transformer station and connected utility installations dating back to 1991.

However, those rights must be exercised with respect for DBMP’s property interests. Access for maintenance, inspection or repair must follow advance notification with reasonable notice.

DBMP and Electrum were ordered to provide that access. Failure to comply also carries a penalty of US$1,000 for each day or part of a day.

Neither Side Receives Damages Award

DBMP had sought removal of the installations within two weeks, backed by a proposed Cg. 10,000 daily penalty,  along with compensation for alleged damage and unjust enrichment.

GEBE filed counterclaims seeking recognition of its rights, access orders, penalties and compensation for alleged damage involving its cables.

The court rejected both sides’ requests to proceed to separate damages assessments because it was not sufficiently clear that either had suffered damage recoverable from the other.

The court declared Electrum’s claims inadmissible because it had not established a legal basis to assert rights reserved to DBMP as the property rights holder. Electrum nevertheless remains subject to the court’s access order.

Each side must bear its own legal costs. The corrective-work and access orders are immediately enforceable, even if an appeal is filed.

Source: Court of First Instance of Sint Maarten, ECLI:NL:OGEAM:2026:134.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) is asking the owner of the vehicle shown in the accompanying photographs to contact or visit Police Headquarters in Philipsburg as soon as possible.
The owner should bring the required vehicle documents and arrange to collect the vehicle.

With the aim of providing journalists with practical knowledge and skills to integrate AI into their work consciously and responsibly, the Aruban association Red Arubiano di Prensa Profesional (RAPP) organized the third annual edition of the Caribbean Journalism Seminar. The three-day program took place from September 25 to 27 and focused on Innovations & AI in Journalism.

The combination of an evening of presentations and dialogue, followed by two practical workshops, resulted in a successful seminar that brought knowledge and practice together. Participants not only gained a better understanding of the possibilities AI offers journalism, but also had the opportunity to work with the technology themselves and explore how they could apply it in their daily work.

Artificial intelligence is transforming journalism rapidly. AI can help journalists and newsrooms process and analyze information, verify data, develop new formats and work more efficiently. At the same time, its use raises important questions about reliability, privacy, transparency, editorial responsibility, and source protection.

For RAPP, journalists must not only learn how to use the technology, but also understand its limitations. AI-generated output can appear convincing without being entirely accurate. Human judgment, critical thinking, and verification therefore remain indispensable. The final responsibility for published information does not lie with the AI system, but with the journalist and newsroom using it.

The seminar began on Friday, September 25. Rodolfo Rodriguez, a Digital Strategist & Developer, showed how journalists and other media professionals can use Claude. Vincent Smit, editor-in-chief of the Dutch media outlet 1Almere, spoke about vibe coding in the newsroom and how journalists can use AI to develop their own tools and prototypes. Noel Algarín-Martínez, an editor at Puerto Rico’s Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, addressed the ethical dimension of AI and the importance of preserving human judgment in journalism.

On Saturday, September 26, the program continued with the workshop AI Essentials for Journalists, led by Chief Automation Officer Laurens Ras. During the workshop, participants learned how to configure ChatGPT or Claude around their own work, sources, and writing style, so that the output does not sound generic but better reflects the journalist’s voice and context.

On Sunday, September 27, Vincent Smit led the workshop Vibe Coding in Practice. Participants explored how they could turn a journalistic idea into a first working prototype, even without previous programming experience. This allowed them to consider applications such as interactive formats, audience-engagement tools, newsroom solutions, and new ways of telling stories.

The three days demonstrated that innovation in journalism is not simply about adopting the latest technology. It is about knowing why, how and when to use that technology, while continuing to question its output. Particularly in a profession built on verification, independence and public responsibility, ethics must form part of every decision involving the use of AI.

Through this seminar and its workshops, RAPP aims to create a space where journalists can meet, share knowledge, inspire and support one another, and continue developing and professionalizing their work. In this way, they can perform their work more effectively and contribute to stronger journalism in Aruba and across the region.

The Caribbean Journalism Seminar 2026 was made possible through the support of Aruba Tourism Authority, WEB Aruba N.V., Hyatt Place Aruba Airport, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, SETAR, and Aruba Airport Authority.