St. Maarten Private Eye

There is no doubt or lack of understanding, at least from me, about the pressure many in the police force have and the hard work many carry out. The severe understaffing can only mean added work load and there is only so much that the strained force can do. It is also understandable that the lack of equipment and training also adds to that pressure, leading to a breakdown in procedures, abilities and working standards which only adds to the frustration many of them must feel.

The fault, or responsiblity for this situation falls onto the shoulders of those in charge, Holiday, Richards and also the politicians. As with so many other things dysfunctional on the island, they fumble around with ideas that are not a solution and often never materialise. Let's consider some reasons why it is difficult to recuit new trainees.

First of all, the pay. I don't have an exact figure so I won't put one, but the figures I have seen or heard about are really quite ridiculous, because as you say, this job demands so much more than many others. This also causes problems with bringing officers from Holland and to a certain extent Suriname, which from what I understand have their own shortage of officers.

Possibilities for advancement or promotion is extremely limited, meaning you could be a great police officer and go nowhere, what with the little personal problems, favoritism and scheming in the so called "Top Brass'. Isn't it time for Holiday to take his retirement and be replaced with fresh ideas and a clean sheet? Aruba has a Dutch police chief, Jamaica has a UK Police Chief, are we too proud to consider one too?

Lack of public support and respect also plays a part. The 'Top Brass' really don't seem to understand that when cases of police abuse of powers come up, they need to be investigated and done so openly to the public. All we get are excuses and just about all investigations are pushed under the carpet, the police are never wrong. I suspect that this not only leads to a drop in public respect, support and cooperation but also to the unattractiveness of the job to those who might have considered joining.

I'm sorry to say, but like Hady, I too am fearful of our police and want as little to do with them as possible. But then, as a founder of this site I generally have more reason to be. From a recent story I heard, it seems that maybe just having a camera and taking a photo of a suspicious person lurking in the shadows of a roadturn can get you a beating by the police. The person this happened to really doesn't want to talk about it, it would go nowhere and likely cause him more problems (or another beating?). Who would he go to anyway?

Ironically, just a few weeks ago the "Juvenile Team' of the police force (members 2?) stated that the youth have a big problem in resolving issues and conflicts without violence. They could also be talking about themselves as too often victims of crime also become victims of the police. I've seen police turn on a victim who was agitated, stressed and in shock, because that person used a few swear words in his discription of what happened. I myself once reported an assault and used the words 'they are beating the shit out of him", the officer on the other end threatened to put the phone down on me.

Why is so hard to make sure all 911 or 5422222 calls are recorded?

The most recent beating reported happened in a police station 'cold room', are there no cameras in that room and if so, why the hell not?

And why are people afraid to press charges about police abuse? Isn't this an issue that strikes at the heart of democracy and a safe and law abiding and respecting community?

That all said.......

There are some very honest, straight and good police officers out there, all of whom I suspect are quite frustrated and angry about the situation on the island and within their force and feeling powerless to do anything about it. I hope they too understand that the failure of the police to hold themselves accountable is a major contributor to the falling respect they get from the public. I would like to invite them to come and comment here.

Holiday, Janchi and Richards, by refusing ever to publicly account for police abuses are in fact the force's worst enemies. And our press shamefully let them sweep it under the carpet time and time again. Chief Excuse Maker Holiday even threatened to appeal the Save Our Beaches case which ruled the police used excessive force, instead he should have issued an appology.

I personally, at this time, favor a solution presented here before somewhere, for integrating our police force with several in Holland. Equalising pay and putting in place strict policies for personnel exchange, including Saba and Statia too. But that would be colonialism I guess, which trumps common sense and progress all the time.

Flipper

I agee that the problems are high up, and we can hope that separate status will shake up the structure, especially the way the funding for the police, which is federal, becomes an island budget issue, (not sure how this works though, maybe some can elaborate on what is supposed to happen with federal "Land" funded operations with separate status)

But, to go back to Hady's concerns, blaming the Zero tolerance people is blaming the clean-up crew for the mess that they have been left with.

That 0 tolerance attitude was a complete failure in the states and it will fail here as well. Just read some books about it or check the internet;

This is the typical message;

'zero tolerance policing has done little to reduce crime in the long run, has contributed to social conflict and excited concerns of racism, and it is heavy handed and confrontational by definition.'

http://www.bsos.umd.edu/gvpt/lpbr/subpages/reviews/hil-tait1004.htm

There are alot of other factors for the reduction of Crime in New York but the Police prefers to focus on a gestapo type of zero tolerance as the main reason.

I have a better idea; 100% police work.

Stop looking for the short term easy solution and do your job the way your supposed to do it.

keep up the good work SXM Private eye.

While it is debatable whether the Zero tolerance works or not, it is a means of trying to control a heavy handed crime situation.
Especially around xmas time, we have many Caribbean folks coming to SXM and they shoplift, they pick pocket, they look out for unsuspecting victums, it is this holiday and Carnival where most of the crime is reported.
However since so many of your youth is also involved with crime, and they are really young starting at the age of 12, I would suggest a curfew for all youths up to the age of 18 years to be off the streets at 11pm.
Many times you see youths during school days on the streets and at Greenhouse untill 2pm.
While it is understable that youths would like to party at Xmas time and at Carnival later in the hours and they do have holidays during these times, making an exception for the holdiays can be looked at.
It is indeed true that more police presence should be offered during the year, to have a Zero Tolerance force is not a bad idea, but indeed when they are asking for bussiness licenses or passports they should act proffessionaly.
The force should learn how to conduct themselves proffesional and still be firm.
They have no right to beat anyone without first having first hand knowledge if the person is a suspect or not.
Maybe it would be a good idea if our force gets a modern training course dealing with how to act proffessionally and not as if they are part of a third world military.
I do agree with Janchie though that the youths have no respect for their elders, their teachers, their parents and the police.
So maybe we should come up with ideas on how to instill that respect.
Saying that however also means that the police should be a role model for the population where respect is concerned.
The people need a good person to lead the police force and to have open dialogue when neccessary with the police.

Our children are smart, unfortunately they are becoming corrupt smart, after all what they read and see on the streets from our so called roll models, Commisioners, Police Officers, etc, that act like gorillas jumping out of the bush and having no respect for anyone, unless of course there is payoff, but our children cannot afford that, but on the other hand if it is a child of a higher up then I am sure they are taken care of. And by the way , what idiot gave the Head of the Chamber of Commerce such power. He is supposed to be working on commerce not politics or payoff., and yes we should have a curfew for those under 18, what purpose do they have on the streets at midnight or after. Trust me they are not in church.

I do not subscribe to the church's claim of having a monopoly on morality, or that you have to go to church to be moral. Our current commissioners are all church goers and claim to be believers and look at some their morals.

As for Ludwig, I am grateful for his attention to the environment, garbage solutions and his efforts to encourage small business. He would be a far better politician thatn most of the jokers we have right now.

But a curfew is not a bad idea, though, but it needs far more thought considering the state of our police force.

Flipper

While I somehow agree with Flipper about the morality issue, I also agree with the Daily Herald editorial today January 5th, 2007. We have to somehow empower the youth to start leading other youth in the right direction. It is far too out of control at the moment, they blatently have no respect for anyone, not even their own families.

I do not agree that the current Commissioners are church going, that is not true.
They do go to church if it is an event where they need to be seen. They do not go on their own. The late Claude Wathey was not a church going man, please read the biography written by Fabian Badejo.
There are times though Flipper, that people (not you maybe) need direction and the church offers them that direction. I myself believe in a higher power, I have that higher power in my heart, I do not have to go to church to feel good about myself.
I do enjoy reading the Old Testament for the great stories, I keep in mind that they are great stories and written by man. Man writes some truth, some truth mixed with fantasy, some truth mixed with mythology, some mistakes mixed in as well, pretty much as the TODAY newspaper writes their articles.
As for Ludwig Quennich, I do not understand where the previous author is coming from, what powers is he reffering to? I think Ludwig has handled the Chamber's bussiness very well for the few years he was President.

We used to have losers like Charlie Meyers as Chambers President, you never heard a peep out of them, unless it had something to do with the Meyers business. Ludwig has brought up good issues over the years, my personal favorites are the Consumer protection act he is pursuing and the Chamber's push for recycling. Also the fact that he has managed to clean up the mess with old and outdated business and N.V. that were in the system for more than 25 years, many of them long gone.

If anyone feels that they can do better for the Chamber, and if they are a Managing Director of a company, feel free to enter your name to be submited for the election. Too often, our people sit on the sideline, looking on, complaining, but they contribute nothing but complaints.

Here are the two articles you refer to.

Daily Herald Editorial - From within - 5th January 2007

Speak up, Governor tells spiritual leaders - 4th January 2007

First of all, let me say that I think you are correct when you say religion is a personal thing, that you do no need to go to church to have belief or morals. My thoughts are the same and from my point of view, that is where the problem is. I firmly believe in the seperation of religion and government, not just Christian but also other religions and SMUMF's objective is the opposite.

I guess I really subscribe to the ideas put forwards by Richard Dawkins, in that whilst there is a good argument that the church can play a positive role in bringing people and communities together, there are also other means and non religious organisations and social programs that can do the same thing. SMUMF do not want St. Maarten to be a secular society, they want it to be a christian society and they want it inserted into the New Status documents.

This means excluding those of other beliefs and forcing one particular point of view upon them all. Whilst I respect that you may choose not to work on a Saturday or Sunday, or Christmas Day, because of your beliefs, why should I be held to those beliefs too? I can respect them and those who wish to follow those lines, but I object to being forced to myself.

You are also right when you mention about Claude and other politicians not being church going, except when it is a special event and I would say that many of them do so because it will help them win votes. There are many people that use religion as a tool, that use it to reinforce the impression they are moral when clearly they are not.

SXM churches are not regulated it seems to me, there are plenty of frauds and plenty of extremists who basically preach hate and intolerance. Do you remember when Dwight Barran was forced from the Cole Bay Community Council? One of the main reasons behind it was that he didn't attend church often enough. The End is Nigh, but the church still wants your money.

If the only reason some people can find to be moral is a fear of god and hell, then they seriously have a problem. I do not fear either and my morals are most certainly stronger than many church goers and pastors. Rather than use this fear to impose morality I think the better solution is to reinforce and build social programs and care, to vastly boost education and to fix our dysfuctional laws, law enforcement and correction facilities and departments. Praying will not fix it as so many letters to the papers claim.

Private belief is fine with me, but there are plently of extremists and they are the problem. Messages like that given by Fritz and the Herald only boosts and inspires those people. If left to run to freely, such people, like the extremists of Islam, would want to see me stoned or locked up. Whilst I agree that churches could and should be playing a stronger role in their communities, I think the rise in crime and immorality is a result of the failures of Govt, in the past and now.

I really can't stay right now to write more, though I have much more to say. I did find these videos of a discussion on CNN a few days ago about Muslims, religious extremism and the problems in the US in regards to religion quite interesting, maybe you will too.

Cenk Uygur on CNN - 4th January 2007

Flipper

PS.

By coincidence on the radio right now is an interview with a man who got shot in the leg at a gas station. He is praising God that he was saved, that he didn't die. Personnaly, I would be extremely pissed off at god for me getting shot in the first place. Sorry, but it's things like this that make me laugh.

Based on the above commentments it clearly shows that we need a good news paper on this island. I can write books in connection with the issue on Public Transportation but none of these jokers in the media has the balls to do a proper and indept investigation. I have documentation dated from the 70' pertaining to the inefficieny of the island government to deal with all issues concern Traffic and Transportation. The reason why we cannot solve these problems is because every body on this island seems to be playing the political game. Today they are behind the board of the Bus driver association and the next day they are having dinner with the same commissioner, supporting him with his election campaign. How can you make any difference in a society where MONEY AND POWER IS THE NAME OF THE GAME. We have lost all values and morals which suppose to reign in a decent society. So I dont blame the politicians but those that support these corrupt politicians.
For over a year now I have filed a complaint against the same tony rogers and letters were sent to the minister of justice, the lt governor, the chief of police and the prosecutor and I am still awaiting a feedback. How can we operate like this. Any way thanks to all of you that has the guts to expose these issues and I hope that in 2007 we can be more forceful and come out with ways and means how to help correct these problems. Thank God that we are still people that believe and love sxm and hope for better days to come.
henling

Henling,

I hope things will change, but they will not while we have poitically vested and compromised people running law enforcement.

Had a chuckle to myself when I saw the very same 0 tolerance boys smiling as they openly chatted up women in town. Shows that they chilled a bit -- finally. Granted the 0 tolerance is the result of a mess that was created by others before them. .I dont blame them, just their superiors for providing them with little or no training in dealing with the public

I wish everyone at this bravely independent site a great 2007.

Janchi reinforces my suspicions that he is either naive or dishonest.

Police deny extortion by police - 3rd January 2007

Such allegations are FAR from 'frivolous' and Janchi casting them off in such a manner really just reinforces the impression that both he and the police force 'Top Brass' are disconnected from reality and living in a fantasy world. I have heard from several chinese people that the story has a strong element of truth to it.

And again, the press fails to confront him and ask the questions they should be asking. Like has he investigated the claims? Or correcting him that such allegations are not 'frivolous' but do in fact strike at the very heart of the police force integrity, and as such should be very closely looked into. The press lets him get away with it.

Is it because the force is so understaffed that they don't want to investigate too deeply the cases of abuse, poor response and extortion as above in case they have to discipline, fire or charge a few staff members? Do they think that the force's reputation will be tarnished and so it is best not to? Or do they really believe, in the way christians beleive "Jesus' will return, that one day, everything will be better.

And in the Today today we read that police force officers are working at the prison, where instead of 15 staff on duty per shift, they have 3.

It's a fucking disgrace and you will just have to excuse my cursing, it just needs that special emphasis.

Take this as a vote of 'lack of confidence' in the police "Top Brass" and relevant political authorities of the island.

Hady Nufyet

Apparently so, with only 3 staff members per shift when 15 are needed.

Police to help out at prison - 4th January 2006

Also

Police laud public for being good boys and girls - 4th January 2007

Police offer New Year Resolution tips - 4th January 2006

Feel free to offer up some NYR's for Janchi below :)

LH

The police can do no wrong it seems.

Flipper

In today's Daily Herald -

Two cops, Chinese man held in extortion probe - 8th January 2007

Two poice and one citizen arrested for extortion - 8th January 2007

Not that the DH mentions that Janchi brushed off the allegations a few days ago. I guess he really doesn't know what he is talking about, or it is natural reaction for him to deny all police wrongdoing as a matter of habit.

Hady

WOW...still cannot belive it...but there's a GOD above,,,don't do unto others as you would not like they do unto you...thats what exactly happened to the two(2) corrupted COPS.

Are they convicted yet? That was real fast I must say. Thanks for sharing it with us. But what is your source?

I have the understanding that there are several people who have 'met' these two before.

Police arrests generate talk in St. Maarten and Curaçao 9th January 2007

Holiday concerned about corrupt cops - 9th January 2007

Updated - see also Immigration Thread and Police Thread
One more arrest reported in smuggling/trafficking probe - 11th January 2007

Detained officers get extended detention - 8th February 2007

On and off I listen to these talkshows and it amazes me sometimes the nonsense that it shared on the air. This week I heard a caller say that it only when we get rid of these dutch laws the people may get stiffer penalities. Another caller calls in the same remark and Lloyd did not know how to address this issue. These callers where just attacking the Dutch without a valid reason. Crime (murder) is a violation in the penal code of the Netherlands Antilles. This means that it was in Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles and they voted for it. The dutch have absolutly nothing to do with the penal code of the NA. I was surprise to know that Lloyd did not know that after being on the air for so many years. These type of misinterpretation of the issues only generate bad blood amoung the people. He should have corrected but I did not call in because I have enough of the ignorance that reigns throughout this community. Hope that one day they will learn.

I think the same way you do. I listen every now and then but the ignorance of the people and the talk show hosts get to me most of the time. We have all kind of people on radio and tv hosting shows without knowing our laws or our political set up, meaning how our parliament works and how we fit into the constelation of the Kingdom government.
This has to be blamed on our politicians and our educators as so many of our people went to study in the US (just like Lloyd) and Oral) and come back knowing more about the US legal system than they have an understanding of ours.
While Lloyd's most of the time treats the callers fairly and tries to bring about an issue with as much discussion as possible, Oral deliberately tries to knock down his callers and his guests by talking so much about his great education and he knows best about every issue and argument. The man breeds ignorance to his viewers.
An example was this past week when he had Jantjie on his show, what prompted him to start a delirious comment about his education over the people working at PJD2? Oral is a DP man, everyone knows it, he is for sale.
He received from the DP a building in Simpson Bay and other things that he played hard ball with the DP to get.
Years ago, Oral was bashing up the DP on every nightly show, the DP knew he wanted something, they gave in and he shut up, simple as that. PJD2 might be owned by Don Hughes, but his employees all have their own opinions, not all are PPA voters. It is the only unbiased news on the island.
I myself don't enjoy the choice of music played on 102.7fm and 1300am, I must say that news wise it is the top. And yes, the people are still for a greater part ignorant, reason why many would vote for the party that gives them a rental car for a few months, blocks for their house, construction material, house rents gets paid/ would not surprise me if politicians start to help those same people who are owing the SMHF.
Maybe that was the trick of that article in the first place, show now that many owe the SMHF, so that the politicians can bail them out with the money that will be falling from the skies right into their give out purse to help the needy just in time for election. And can someone please explain to me, why are our Commissioners driving around in rental cars these days?