St. Maarten Private Eye

From SMN News

13 Royal Dutch Marechaussee Sworn In---Don’t Play Mr. “Know it All” Warns Governor

Dutch Royal Marechaussee At Swearing In Ceremony

Philipsburg: --- The long awaited assistance for the police force of St. Maarten, Saba and Statia was realized yesterday when thirteen Dutch Royal Marechaussee sworn in at the Holland House Hotel. Witnessing the ceremony was Lt. Governor Hyden Gittens, Lt. Governor Sydney Sorton, Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards, and Deputy Chief Commissioner of Police Richard Panneflek, Commandant Loic Baras and the head of the Immigration services of French St. Martin, Philippe Vinbelle while doing the honors was Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein who acted as the Assistant Attorney General.
Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards who is also the Chief of Police said that cooperation is the key to success in any police force and it is very important they cooperate with both local police and the French authorities.
He said that said the St. Maarten Police Force is severely understaffed however, they have been doing a great job with the means they have at their disposal. He cautioned that they cooperate with the police because there is a lot to say about the Marechaussee in the past and despite that he is the one that requested their services on St. Maarten. Richards said his vision for the Marechaussee was on a short term plan and not long term simply because he believes that the St. Maarten police would have to do the job with their own people and training has to be provided for the local police. He cautioned that crime on St. Maarten will not seize immediately now that they are here, because that would not happen since they are here specifically for immigration purposes. Richards said that he knows that they (the Marechaussee) have brought along with them their expertise but he warned them should not be “Mr. Know it All” instead they should be able to work together with the police on St. Maarten as well as their French counterparts because cooperation he said is the key and must be continued, and he is looking forward for their cooperation to make the island safer place. He also called on the local police to cooperate with the Marechaussee because during these last days there have been quite some robberies taken place locally and this he said is putting the island economy at stake. He also called on the community at large to join hands with the police to combat crime because they cannot do it alone. “With the additional human resource in the immigration the focus he said will be placed on controls.
Deputy Chief Commissioner of Police Richard Panneflek said this is yet another achievement for the community of St. Maarten. This addition he said will also be placed on the other two islands Saba and Statia where they would help to combat crime since they will be here for at least one year He said that the main objective in all of this is to make sure the islands become safer for its inhabitants.
While the Lt. Governor of Saba Sydney Sorton said that he is excited to witness the swearing in ceremony. He considered this to be a happy day because they have been complaining for a long time and because they are short staffed the local police on Saba has become complacent and crime has been increasing. Even though the crime rate in Saba is not extreme he prefers a crime free island which would allow people to enjoy their stay there.
State Secretary for Justice Mr. Simmons said that when the people open their newspapers today they would indeed be happy because they are sure they can feel safe again now that the Marechaussee is here to give assistance something he said is a step in the right direction. He said that the main objective is the safety and security on the Windward Islands. He urged Deputy Chief Commissioner of Police Richard Panneflec to place the men and women he got as added manpower in places where they can be effective.

Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein As Attorney General Reading The Oath To The Officers

Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein who conducted the honors of the swearing in said that the Netherlands Antilles are in a situation of turmoil and since the islands are busy seeking their country status within the Kingdom. He emphasized that crime prevention is not only the job of the police and the prosecutor’s office but instead it should involve everybody. He said that to make the society safe police must get the necessary information to solve crimes even if there are hundreds of officers at hand. After the official speeches the oat was read to the officers who all swore to uphold their duties, after which they had a cocktail welcome.