St. Maarten Private Eye

The older and harder criminals I believe should be locked up and given hard labor. To hell with the term HUMAN RIGHTS. When their raping, killings etc the victem has no rights. I personally believe in capital punishment. But they say I'm to harsh. We must love our brothers and sisters no matter what as we're true christians.
But my biggest problem lies with youth violence. The youngsters are so agressive that locking them up isn't the only sollution but is only part of the solution. Their is no care during or after they have been incargerated. Especially mental and social assistance is lacking terribly for the youngsters. I believe we should create a youth detension camp for at least 75 youngsters we're they will spend some serious time (no juvi hall nonsense) building back up their social and moral skills while upgrading themselves academically. Some will fail and fall out of this system but that's oke. They will fit in perfectly with the hardcore in point blanche and hopefully stay up there for a while. But the rest of the changeable youngster will have a change to once again become part of this community. Also their family life at home must be reviewed and help given their to assist and adjust were possible and necessary. So you see it going to be a very expensive and time consuming battle but one I and i'm sure many others are willing to fight.
I'll come back with more on this as it's a very complicated issue.

ps The public prosecutors are doing everything in their power to deal with these issus's. I'll come back to that in a later posting.

sxmlocalboy, you speak a lot of wisdom there.

The worrysome thing is how many will be around if this trend continue, I only learned about the stabbing of the young chap Brooks in Zagersgut in front of the supermarket. Obviously he spoke to the wrong "gyal" as they call it these days.

It is now like every 2 days someone is being brutally attacked or murdered.

However, I recall that there was a gentleman, if I recall correctly, his name is James of Cole Bay, who just returned from the USA Army and during his interview he did mention that he would like to work with the youth. Some serious booth camp time might not be a bad idea. I also cannot understand that we don;t have more psychiatrists on the Island, seeing the present situation. People, young and old, are just walking time bombs most with no mercy or regards for human life.

How could Mr. Stomp say that it was not the intention to murder, if you stop and fight with knives, machettes and guns, you must know that murder could be the result. You have to walk or drive to the victim, if you cannot cool off during that period then it is murder met voorbedachte rade.
While I agree that just locking up these young criminals is not the answer, for now, without any proper programs put into place, that is where they have to be, in jail with adult, hardcore criminals or ship them out to correctional facilities abroad for a logical time frame, don't wait for a second offense, tackle it one time. Give them a taste of what real life is about. I most certainly would not feel comfortable rehabilitating these youngsters, by hiring them, not knowing when I might say something that they do not like and decide to deal with me not intending to murder me.

One of the priorities have to be to picking up these "gang-members" off the public roads, the bloods especially are very active and have claimed numerous criminal actions. This is no time for joking. Public warnings should be given as to what to look for and how to i.d. a gangmember, type of dressing, colors, tattoos, etc.
If parents refuse to report the involvement or suspected involvement of their children in a gang they should at least be fined if one of their children are picked up and is clearly a gang-member. I do know that parent abuse is very much alive and real here on sxm also, therefore even more reason to report the crimes. As I said before, don't "literally" love your children to death. I am not just saying this, I honestly would have done this to my kids and they knew it. I love them, they are my world but I do not intend to take any nonsense.

There was an ad a few years ago on t.v. that said, it is 10 o'clock, do you know where your children are. I think this should be used on those sunami warning devices posted all over the Island. I see too many school age kids on the roads at night when they should be in their parents houses, resting for school in the morning. I cannot and will never understand that, how could this be happening. Kids have to understand that they are kids, instead they do as they please and by 15 their parents know that they will have to continue supporting them for as long as they see fit. I am perplexed at what is happening.

The police have to implement curfews for youngsters, stop them, have them i.d. themselfs, take them to the station and call their parents and deal with the parents. If there is an obvious loss of control situation, insist that they see a councilor (I know it is not common here) there are a few psychologists on the Island. Give these children time to grow up. I was never for the 18 year adult law, they are not wise enough to handle real life and mix being an adult with childishness that is now turning deadly. If they refuse to attend any counseling then immediately they should be put into booth camp counseling.

However this is not going to happen overnight so what now. I feel that the police have to take harsh measures and have us go through some unpleasant times but strict controls and harsh actions have to be taken. I am trying to post my findings/suggestions on using the VKS and if necessary security patrol and monitoring systems, since there is not enough police to do it all. And believe me my friends those suggestions will not just stay as posts here, I am one person who intend to help find possible solutions to the problem of crime in general, not just the youth but right now they are the biggest group of criminals be it petty or major.

Ref prosecutors/Justice system, the sentences applied are not harsh enough, it is a joke and on top of that criminals eat better than I do and protest if they feel the treatment is not "good" enough. So they take it as a joke, come out and repeat the crime.

ADV ;(

There is one encouraging thing amongst the posts on crime and the solutions to it.
It shows that some people in SXM actually do care.
It is a shame that a lot of that thrust comes from ex residents of SXM. I am still living in SXM and praying that some of the comments made are followed up on. Thankyou ex resident.

The crime in SXM is totally un acceptable and can be improved 10 fold if the authorities simply behaved in a "normal " and humane manner.

It is pathetic to see the general disregard for the law and respect for our fellow human beings.

Simply enforce some laws.

Punish effectivly the criminals.
My example of the pathetic law enforcement was a traffic accident my partner was involved in.
Clearly stopped in traffic in broad daylight our vehicle was rear ended at speed. Our vehicle sustained over a USD 1000 damage. The other drivers vehicle was written off. Police were called, the process followed and the situation resolved.
Sounds ok ? Well yes I guess it was except that the other driver was so obviously drunk it was alarming. Was that driver arrested, no....
Once he had beligerenly protested his innocence the policeman just drove away.
This is crazy.
Stop it SXM leaders get your act together.

Sill love sxm

So, Tongas, as you noted there were thousands of people marching in NAWABSHAH, in New Orleans, in Mexoco... where's the march in Philipsburg? People need to demand better policing from the authorities. Try to organize smth like that. Because it seems to me that DP isn't going to do ANYTHING until there will be mass murder in Westin or a big casino, or maybe mega-villa of one of them gets ransacked...

anyway, here are my ideas (not sure who'll implement them)

1) Fight crime where crime and drug dealing takes place. You know the regions. You know under which tree and on which corner 'tings go down...You know which clubs they go to spend their cash... This is NYC mayor Guliani tactics from the 1990s... a lot of people called it "racist" because disproportinally large number of cops were patrolling "inner cities." Well, you call it however you want, but the violent crime fell 5-fold. If police resources are limited, don't waste them on riding around, put them where crime takes place.
2) Tell police union to stop bickering (at least for now) and bring in professional managers and detectives; try to recruit some active or even retired detectives from the USA who have experience in dealing with gangs. Yes, admit at last that SXM PD needs assistance and demand more $$$ from Cental Govt and Holland. i'm sure thre will be a lot of cops willing to temporarily relocate to "island paradise."
3) whoever is responsible for working permits - put him under strictest outside audit. there's too much talk that foreign nationals involved in a lot of "bad things." also, i don't know how it can be accomplished, but there need to be better border control, on both sides of the island. at least make sure immigration officers are doing their jobs, and if caught - don't give them $200 fine and 2 months suspended - lock 'em up! if anything, a law enforcement person, a person entrusted with special rights and obligations must do more time if he breaks the law than a civilian.
4) show schoolkids that there is future: arrange work-study or internship programs for those who want to make a buck. but not as a maid or a grocery packer - how about some tax breaks for business owners who employ schoolkids, who give them real responsibilities and pay them real wages?
5) there should be no such thing as "probation" or "suspended sentence" for violent offenders, or persons found in possession of a firearm or machete. you kan keep kids separate from adults, but everyone guilty MUST do major time
6) drug testing drug testng drug testing.
7) "citizen's patrol" - i knwo it's asking a lot from unarmed residents to go against armed drug gangs. maybe in cooperation with vks, or maybe allow them to carry batons or something...slingshots, bb-guns. peope who are willing to, should be able to take back the streets.

/ Now_USA_Resident/