PHILIPSBURG:--- Justice Minister Nathalie Tackling has delivered a blunt warning to people who believe a shortage of detention space means they will be released after ten days: commit a serious offense, or be picked up again, and authorities will find a place to hold you.

“If you do something bad enough or if this is the second time that we pick you up, we will create capacity for you, and we will put you in Pointe Blanche,” Tackling told Parliament. Addressing those who boast that they will soon be back on the street, she added: “Man, dare us, and we’re going to find space.”

The warning came as Tackling acknowledged a structural shortage of detention capacity and a current peak in crime. She said the ministry is working to create space and remains in discussions with Kingdom partners about possible assistance. She did not, however, characterize the detention shortage as a state of emergency.

Tackling drew a distinction between adult suspects and minors. Minors are not placed in Pointe Blanche Prison, she said. Their detention facility is the Miss Lalie Center, although the minister said authorities would prefer to avoid jailing children wherever possible. She acknowledged that an increasing number of minors are being picked up, making their cases a separate challenge for the justice system.

The minister also cautioned against freeing prison places simply by releasing large numbers of inmates. Without enough probation staff and support for their return to society, she warned, some could reoffend and return to custody. Tackling said probation officers are already overloaded and that strengthening probation and family services must be part of any lasting response to prison overcrowding.

Her comments followed questions in Parliament about whether authorities could prepare detention places before the next urgent arrest, instead of waiting for prosecutors to request space. Tackling said the ministry is examining ways to increase capacity, but her statements did not establish that a new early-release arrangement has been approved.

At the same time, Tackling said police patrols and detention alone cannot resolve the conditions contributing to crime. She pointed to families struggling to pay utility bills and parents working second or third jobs, leaving less time with their children. The Crime Fund, she said, should support prevention measures such as community activities, sports and programmes intended to steer young people away from crime.

Tackling has requested assistance from the Marines and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee to increase visibility. She also agreed with MP Darryl York that government must discuss raising more revenue: Justice, schools, roads and social services are all competing for funds that do not meet their needs.

The minister’s message was both a warning and a challenge for government. She says authorities will make room for serious and repeat offenders. Parliament must now determine how the country will fund the detention places, youth services and probation support needed to make that promise work.

Simpson Bay:---   Princess Juliana International Airport Operating Company N.V. (PJIA) is pleased to welcome Dr. Bekele as the airport’s Medical Doctor, succeeding Dr. Swanston, who previously served in the role.

PJIA extends its sincere appreciation to Dr. Swanston for her dedication, professionalism, and valuable service to the airport. Throughout her tenure, PJIA maintained a positive and productive working relationship with Dr. Swanston, and the organization is grateful for her contribution to the airport’s medical preparedness and emergency response capabilities. In her new role, Dr. Bekele will play an important part in supporting PJIA’s emergency medical response framework and overall medical preparedness.

Working closely with the airport’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) team and relevant operational departments, she will provide medical expertise and support during emergencies and other situations requiring medical coordination. Her responsibilities will include assisting the EMT team in responding to medical emergencies at the airport and supporting triage and medical coordination in the event of a mass-casualty incident or other major emergency.

Dr. Bekele will serve as PJIA’s designated medical contact for medical evacuation operations. When required, she will provide the medical authorization necessary to reopen the airport on behalf of the Operations Director following medevac situations involving patients or passengers arriving from Saba or St. Eustatius and departing through Princess Juliana International Airport.

In addition, Dr. Bekele will provide medical guidance to PJIA management on emerging global health developments, including infectious diseases and other public health concerns that may affect airport operations. Her expertise will help the airport stay informed and appropriately prepared as public health circumstances evolve.

The appointment forms part of PJIA’s commitment to maintaining effective medical preparedness, emergency response protocols and a safe airport environment.

“Having access to qualified medical expertise is an important component of our overall emergency preparedness,”  said Michael Cleaver, Chief Executive Officer of PJIA. “We are pleased to welcome Dr. Bekele to the airport community and look forward to working with her. At the same time, we extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Swanston for the professionalism and commitment she demonstrated throughout her service to PJIA.”

Through continued collaboration among its medical professionals, emergency response teams, operational departments, and external partners, PJIA remains committed to safeguarding the health, safety, and well-being of its passengers, employees, and wider airport community.

NEW YORK:---  Antigua and Barbuda has taken the chair of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, as members seek closer cooperation on trade, transport, climate finance and diplomacy.

Foreign ministers and other representatives met in New York on September 20, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. During the meeting, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister, D. Fitzgerald Bramble, handed the chairmanship to Antigua and Barbuda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, E.P. Chet Greene.

Greene called for stronger air links between the islands, regular sea transport for passengers and cargo, and better connections to markets in Central and South America. Governments can set policy, he said, but transport operators, ports, businesses, financial institutions and investors must help develop services that can last.

The new chair also urged the OECS to use foreign policy to advance its members’ economic interests. Priorities discussed included protecting the OECS Economic Union, seeking fair treatment for citizenship-by-investment programmes and financial services, expanding access to climate finance, and defending international law and cooperation between nations. Ministers agreed to strengthen the OECS Commission’s ability to coordinate and carry out diplomatic work.

Outgoing chair Bramble warned that established assumptions about the international system are being challenged, increasing the need for a more united regional approach. OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules likewise called for diplomatic institutions that can respond to rapid global change.

For Saint-Martin, an OECS member, the discussions on island transport, market access and climate funding have direct regional relevance. The release says representatives from across the organization attended but does not identify a Saint-Martin delegate or announce a specific new transport service or funding agreement.

The ministers agreed to hold a dedicated retreat before the end of 2026 to refine the organization’s foreign-policy priorities and its response to the changing international environment.

SMN News established St Maarten’s connection to the Bientu case in its first report. Now, as MP Darryl York demands more revenue for justice, the unanswered question is whether millions held in U.S. investment accounts earned money that has never been publicly accounted for—while St Maarten struggles to fund youth crime prevention.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Justice Minister Nathalie Tackling says St Maarten needs more resources to confront violent crime. Member of Parliament Darryl York says government must stop approving budgets that leave justice services short and then act surprised when those services struggle. Both arguments lead to a question for Tackling and Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs: Have they demanded a full accounting of the Bientu millions, including any interest or investment earnings, and determined whether St Maarten has a lawful claim?

The United States is transferring approximately US$29.7 million in forfeited Bientu funds to Curaçao in three installments. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the proceeds were held in investment accounts at a Miami bank in the names of companies controlled by Robertico “Robbie” Dos Santos. Its announcement does not break down the original balances, interest, investment returns or deductions. It does not say whether the US$29.7 million includes everything the accounts earned while the funds were restrained.

How much did those accounts earn? Where did the earnings go? No published figure reviewed by SMN News answers either question. Inventing one would be irresponsible. It would be equally irresponsible for ministers responsible for protecting St Maarten’s finances to leave the accounting unquestioned.

The court’s 2016 Bientu judgment discusses the restraint of accounts connected to the case, including Curaçao’s request for U.S. assistance in February 2012. It also records that approximately US$30 million in U.S. investment accounts was omitted from an attempted tax disclosure by Dos Santos. Those facts make an account-by-account reconciliation essential; they do not, by themselves, establish how much interest is accrued or who is entitled to it.

York’s remarks in Parliament give this issue immediate political weight. He accused the Council of Ministers and Parliament of passing budgets that leave the police and other justice services underfunded, then demanding results. He called it a “laugh-now, cry-later” approach and said his faction had sought a discussion on revenue generation for roughly a year and a half. “I’m tired of the buts,” York said. Tackling acknowledged that government cannot meet every ministry’s request and agreed that revenue needs attention.

Here is a concrete place to begin. SMN News reported that the Bientu investigation began with unusual transaction reports filed on Sint Maarten. The court identified approximately NAf. 15.9 million in concealed St Maarten lottery turnover in its calculation for 2004 through 2011. That is turnover—not an established tax debt and not St Maarten’s share of US$29.7 million. Prosecutors also identified St Maarten businesses subject to tax reporting and said they had issued additional assessments. What became of those assessments remains unanswered in the public record.

Curaçao asked the United States to enforce its restraint and forfeiture orders. The U.S. Justice Department says the return recognizes Curaçao’s losses and its assistance in securing the forfeiture. Those are reasons for Curaçao’s announced transfer. They are not an accounting of St Maarten’s tax position, nor an explanation of whether anyone acting for this country raised it before the transfer terms were settled.

Tackling has warned of more serious violence involving younger suspects. Government has already used its Crime Fund to help support a youth gun violence intervention initiative. A lawful recovery, if one can be established, could strengthen sustained mentoring, skills training and other prevention work. No minister can promise that outcome before the legal claim and rules for using any recovered money are known. But they cannot discover the answer without pursuing the records.

Tackling and Gumbs should jointly request the signed U.S.–Curaçao transfer agreement; the opening and closing balances of the restrained accounts; a statement of interest, investment income, fees and deductions; and the status of Sint Maarten’s related tax assessments. They should obtain written legal advice on whether Sint Maarten has a claim to any funds or earnings and report the conclusion to Parliament.

York told government to stop recycling explanations for justice’s shortage of money. The ministers can answer him with action: establish the figures, establish Sint Maarten’s rights, and pursue every dollar the country can lawfully recover.