PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday, July 31, 2025, the Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) officially signed the agreement launching the ADVANCE-SXM program. The four-year initiative began on August 1, 2025, and is designed to transform Sint Maarten’s prison system from the inside out, providing rehabilitation programs, reintegration opportunities, and specialized staff training.
This milestone aligns with the Ministry’s broader policy agenda to build a fairer and more effective justice system, one grounded in the rule of law, professional enforcement, and public trust. As outlined in the Ministry’s mission, efforts are focused on strengthening legal institutions, improving detention conditions, and ensuring safety, security, and accountability across the justice chain. The ADVANCE-SXM program is a key part of this transformation.
Minister Tackling hailed the signing as a turning point for the country’s justice system, noting her strong commitment to start delivering real rehabilitation long before the completion of the new prison facility. “We cannot afford to wait for a building to begin restoring dignity, structure, and opportunity within our justice system. Our focus is on strengthening the Ministry from within, starting now,” she said.
ADVANCE-SXM represents a €3.8 million investment in long-overdue reform. While construction of the new long-term detention facility is ongoing, this program ensures that operations, staff capacity, and inmate support are not left behind. UNODC will lead the initiative in close coordination with the Ministry of Justice and the management team of the Point Blanche Prison.
Under the program, Point Blanche will implement structured rehabilitation and reintegration pathways for inmates, including access to education, vocational training, remunerated work, and mental health support. A dedicated roadmap will guide each inmate's preparation for reentry into society, emphasizing reducing recidivism and building safer communities.
On the staff side, correctional officers will benefit from a full training and development plan, designed to increase professionalism, morale, and long-term retention. Institutional policies, procedures, and codes of conduct will also be revised and standardized, with oversight mechanisms in place to ensure proper implementation.
At the same time, the Ministry will work alongside UNODC and local stakeholders to prepare for the transition to the new facility. This includes testing operational processes, developing a staffing transition plan, and identifying additional equipment and training needs.
ADVANCE-SXM is more than a project; it is a commitment to people: the officers who serve, the inmates who seek a second chance, and the people of St. Maarten who deserve a justice system built on fairness and accountability.
“This is how we restore confidence in the system,” said Minister Tackling. “By making smart, structured investments in people and policy today, we lay the foundation for a justice system that is safer, stronger, and more humane for generations to come.”
As the program moves forward, so does the physical transformation of the Point Blanche prison, with construction of the new facility scheduled to begin in Q4 of 2025. Together, these efforts mark a coordinated shift toward a more professional, balanced, and effective justice system, one that invests in both infrastructure and the people who make it work.
