St. Maarten Private Eye

It has been confirmed on radio this afternoon that the fomer chief immigration officer Marsdin has been arrested in connection with the Loor and Holiday arrests.....

New Post - Chief Inspector Alfred 'Churchill' Marsden Arrested. Please use it if you wish to respond to the above comment.

One outspoken citizen who is part of a concerned group called the Minister the “Dynamic Dick” who he said has listened to the cries of the people and is busy cleaning up the corruption on St. Maarten. “We have had enough of nonsense with everyone who has had power” the man said the time as come for a total clean up.
Found this over at SMN NEWS

Poor Holiday! Let's hope Roy Marlin comes out soon with an appeal to calm emotions and to 'follow the process'. Really, is the biggest argument from those unhappy about this going to based on him being local?

It sounds like a screw up to me, Minister Dick and the Kingdom Justice authorities knew about this planned arrest, they must have given some thought to how handle the fallout. You would think so, right?

I mean, according to the things I've read, Panneflek only heard about it Friday or so and returned to the island to help calm the force. Is he on his own? Should there not be top level Kingdom authorities there too, making friends so to speak? They must have considered how nationalistic pride would be stoked and promoted by those unhappy about it, how important it is for clear and open information to be given as soon as possible to the police force and the public.

If not then I hope they do soon.

Radio Soualiga - Report on Holiday's arrest with Lawyer Denicio Bryson - 5th February 2007

Bibi had these stories on SMN-News.

False Re-entry Permit is the Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back - 5th February 2008

Lt. Gov and Minister Dick on Holiday 'reassignment' - 5th February 2008

And the Daily Herald had these.....
Daily Herald Editorial - Tread carefully - 5th February 2008

Duncan: - Removing Holiday is a policy decision of the Minister - 5th February 2008

Mr Holiday was arrested on the suspicion of forgery. A forgery is essentially concerned with a produced or altered object. In this case a permit to stay on the island. One police officer was heard saying that he was crying with joy over the arrest and that there is one more person to go in the force. Opinions will vary, but a lot of people in the community knew that something was going to happen. St.Maarten is still a small island, and although we tend to speculate about everything, we are sure that we have not heard the entire story.

It's got to be hell being the chief of Police in Point Blanche with Marcel Loor, a former commissioner of Police. I like Denisio Bryson, but in this case I would rather a top lawyer who is knowledgeable on fraud or forgery cases. I would want the best.
I hope for Holiday that this is just a witch hunt. On the other hand I presume there was some investigation going on for some time on this case.
It is a sad day in St.Maarten's history. I wish his family strength, this is not an easy day.

From the Daily Herald website.

Daily Herald Editorial - Shocking - 6th February 2008

Holiday’s arrest a blow for police, says NAPB - 6th February 2008

Holiday arrested on suspicion of forgery - 6th February 2008

Dick to inform police on Friday - 6th February 2008

From the SMN News Website

Derrick Holiday Arrested, Suspected of Forging Documents - 6th February 2008

Yesterday a Sad Day for Police Force - 6th February 2008

If anyone finds stories about Holiday on other web and news sites, please post them below in a comment, even if they are in Dutch. Cheers! - LH

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/caribbean/sfl-25stmaarten,0,2076850.story

http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?cp-documentID=7458726

http://www.ad.nl/binnenland/article2027826.ece?pageNavType=all#reactie

Read the comments of the persons in the Netherlands!!!

Radio Soualiga reports that Holiday was released this afternoon February 6th 2008.

I jut heard from a very reliable source that Holiday has been released due to lack of evidence.

When you lock up the head of the police and leave him go after one they I think everyone should be asking what the hell is our justice system doing. If you have prove then why lock him up for one they and leave him go and say he is still a sucpect. Just before you leave him go you go search his secretary home. What the hell is that. After you lock up the man then you go look for the proof. What does he secretary has to do with this. People just think. Not because you do not like him, it is ok. It can be you or your love ones next time. Something is not right here.You do not arrest a chief of police and leave him go the next day. Not that he is better than no one. But and arrest like that goes around the world. \it gives your Island a bad name. I am not saying he did not do anything, i am not talking about that. I am saying if you an leave him go the next day, was it reaaly needed to lock him up or was it to try force him to talk because you has no proof.

The story from AP was carried in the Herald Tribune, on MSNBC and MSN UK news websites

These comments were made by a spam robot and contained links to malicious or pornographic sites, they have been deleted, unfortunately they will still appear on the comments list until they are moved down. If you click them you will only find the random page where the spam comment was placed.

So make a comment and lets get rid of them :)

LH

What a Ting! What must we the public think? That the authorities above Holiday are are also incompetent with this arrest of the Top Police officer on the island days after him being removed from his post and reassigned? Or perhaps Holiday is co-operating with these authorities and as Taco puts it to the DH, he is no longer required for this stage of the investigation and his release does not mean he is not a suspect.
Want to know what I think? Well, as has been mentioned on here before, I too believe that corruption on the island is like a web, it has tendrils that touch so many, interconnected and intertwined. I have never believed Loor was on his own and no one else knew about it or was involved with his dealings. It is my understanding that many of these permit favors Loor was involved in were related to sex workers.
I also believe, as Bibi mentions in her article yesterday, that there are bigger fish to fry and that certain commissioners are being investigated. I don't always agree with Leopold James, he is a little too xenophobic for my taste, but there is also an article from him over on SMN News where he calls for Separate Status to be delayed until all investigations and a clean up are done of the island's corruption and it's democratic system. Seems he recognizes that some of the biggest enablers of immigration, particularly that of Dominican and Haitian immigrants, has been by people of the island in top positions. I agree with him, SS must be delayed until the island is cleaned up and the democratic process and system has been updated to 2008 levels.

LH

Some background links

No plans to fire Holiday - 10th July 2007

Commissioner may have committed fraud in human trafficking incident - 11th June 2007

A police commissioner in human trafficking probe - 7th June 2007

Top politician questioned by police - 9th May 2007

I'm sure there are more nuggets like these in the Justice - Police - Crime

(Tricky) Dick(y) had to remove Holiday before the arrest because otherwise there would be nobody officially apointed to take the helm of local police force when the you know what hits the fan. This way, Panneflek has been put in charge for the time being and it's clear to "the force" who is in command. Pure a strategic decision.

Whatever the outcome of the investigation, I think the people of SXM are well served of this shake-up within the police force. It is time for a change. It is time that when I call the police, there is actually someone answering the phone. It is time that a Police Chief is readily available to comment on important questions by the media. It is time that I do not have to hire a security firm to do controls around my neighborhood in order to feel safe. It is time that the Top Cops actually start doing their jobs creatively instead of always complain about lack or resources.

It's the least we as tax paying and law abiding citizens can expect from our civil servants.

I totally agree!
We deserve better!

Reassignment, retirement, either would be good.

Janchi Salutes Samuel for Taking Stand--- Locals Can Do the Job- 11th February 2008

LH

Janchi is a joke. Janchi always talking about integrity but his constant switching of political seats has seen more action then the girls in Petit Chateau receive on a regular weekend.

All Janchi does is complain but do you hear or see Janchi come up with solutions to the acute problems people of SXM are facing due to structural lack of solid police work? Nope. Janchi likes sitting behind his desk. It's comfortable there. He likes inviting the media and play a big man with a big mouth. All hot air though.

Ofcourse Janchi is against "outsiders" coming in because once these outsiders see what's really cooking in the ol' police kitchen, Janchi will probably be venting a lot less hot air.....