Justice Police Crime
There are many issues facing the new country Sint Maarten. With this blog I do hope to exchange with others on ideas and suggestions how we can confront and be part in the making of this new country. Sint Maarten has been my home for 36 years but I do not like what I see today. Crime is of one of the major issues that will bring this island to her knees if we do not act and prevent the escalation.
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Education and Youth | Justice Police Crime | sooninamerica's blog | login or register to post comments | read more
Submitted by sooninamerica on Thu, 2008-05-15 14:34.
A Police Crime Report with a twist. Marcel Loor gets a huge reduction on his sentence, Holiday gets charged with defrauding the Antilles and we are still waiting for Marsden to 'Bus the Pot' on all the fraud and theft crimes he claimed to have evidence about.
And then, there is the Head of Police Finance who has been suspended for revealing financial information about Lt. Gov Richards, information that perhaps ought to be public record anyway. Perhaps now is a time to bring up that old chestnut the Code of Conduct and ask Mr. Richards if he is willing to set an example by following it.
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Justice Police Crime | Dr. Voodoo's blog | 12 comments | read more
Submitted by Dr. Voodoo on Mon, 2008-04-28 07:10.
Did anyone else notice the front page of the Daily Herald today? The top headline reported a 4th armed daylight robbery in Philipsburg and directly below it was a headline reporting how the police had fined 140 and towed 45 cars in road controls. Is it just me that sees something wrong with the priorities here?
I took a walk down Front Street and the Boardwalk today, I was in town about 3 hours and in that time II did not see one police or VKS officer. I visited a few store owners that i have known a few years and asked them about the situation.....
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Justice Police Crime | Caribdude's blog | 3 comments | read more
Submitted by Caribdude on Fri, 2008-03-28 13:40.
And so NOVA came, with less of a bang than some of us expected considering their name, but then, were we wrong to expect too much from them? SXM PE made a request to them to add subtitles to the shows when Dutch is spoken, their response was "It's expensive and our show is for a Dutch audience". Say's it all really doesn't it?
Although they are right, it is expensive and their audience is largely Dutch, SXM Maarten is part of the Dutch Kingdom in the midst of a very important decision making time, and, as they point out themselves in their show, English is the main language here. I've always thought that talking about someone in a language they don't understand in front of them is rude. Maybe it's just me, expecting too much.
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Dutch Politics | Federal Politics | Island Politics | Justice Police Crime | Media | Local Hero's blog | 10 comments | read more
Submitted by Local Hero on Sun, 2008-03-23 11:22.
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of the Council of Europe says (art. 6.2): "Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law". This convention has been adopted by treaty and is also binding in Saint Maarten.
Many judges in the court of public opinion apply the rule when friends are involved. We heard it a good bit when Marcel Loor, Derrick Holiday and Churchill Marsdin were arrested. It was inhumane and unjust to lock them up, according to some. What happened to the presumption of innocence, asked others. When the animals that attacked Ryan Smith and Tom Jefferson were arrested, nobody asked a thing.
Why is that?
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Justice Police Crime | Calico Jack's blog | 1 comment | read more
Submitted by Calico Jack on Fri, 2008-03-14 22:39.
Reported today on Radio Soualiga, Alfred 'Churchill' Marsden, aka 'Chico' Marsden, cockfighting and poker affectionado, former head of Julianna Airport Immigration until June last year and National Alliance 2007 election list member. was arrested this morning at the prosecutors office.
Marsden's arrest is likely connected with the previous arrests of Marcel Loor and that of Chief Commissioner Derrick Holiday. More below.
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Justice Police Crime | Dr. Voodoo's blog | 4 comments | read more
Submitted by Dr. Voodoo on Wed, 2008-03-12 12:38.
A friend of mine was having lunch at a Dutch Side restaurant a while back when he noticed a prominent politician having lunch with a local business person. There were smiles all around the table, handshakes and at one point at least one envelope was passed from the business person to the politician.
Eventually lunch ended, and both gentlemen left, but the envelope, a rather fat one, fell to the floor and wasn't noticed.
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Island Politics | Justice Police Crime | caribsnooper's blog | 12 comments | read more
Submitted by caribsnooper on Mon, 2008-02-25 22:26.
The Today Editorial today is a remarkable piece of work of sophistry for a newspaper which would have trouble investigating itself out of a paper bag. It is a rambling mess of irrational outrage at the news a NOVA TV crew is planning to come here and do some investigative reporting on the island about corruption. According to the Today, the perception that St. Maarten is corrupt is 'erroneous', 'ludicrous' and 'malicious'. It attacks any locals who are planning to talk to NOVA about corruption as being on par with Nazi sympathizers of the second world war in Holland who cooperated with the occupation.
The Today newspaper, and the Daily Herald, have played a major role leading SXM to the state it is in today, their pathetic standards of investigative journalism gives them no leg to stand on when another press organization decides to do so. The enemy here is not those who are brave enough to speak up and share information about the problems here, but those who would prefer to shut other people up and keep their heads stuck up their ass, believing they are smelling roses.
The Today to me is a pathetic rag erroneously using the label of newspaper.
More here
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Justice Police Crime | Media | Local Hero's blog | 4 comments | read more
Submitted by Local Hero on Tue, 2008-02-19 16:12.
I was without internet for a while and I guess the regular writers all thought someone else would post about Leta. Below you will find a collection of news links to this story and in the coming days will will add the scanned clippings from the papers.
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Justice Police Crime | Flipper's blog | 4 comments | read more
Submitted by Flipper on Thu, 2008-02-07 16:31.
I've called for it before and in my opinion the sudden 'reassignment' of Derrick Holiday, the Police Chief Commissioner for the Windward Islands, is long overdue and very welcome. SXM needs change and reform in many areas and this one in particular. Holiday is old wood, like a stick in the mud and times are changing, new energy, new ideas and fresh clear thinking is needed to prepare SXM for it's new status.
Unfortunately I can't scan the papers and sadly the stories from saturday or today (Monday) are not available on the Daily Herald Website, apparently news about a car thief and the Rotary Club are more important. Hopefully someone will be able to add them in the next few days. Seems to me there is much more to this story than meets the eye........
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Island Politics | Justice Police Crime | Dr. Voodoo's blog | 20 comments | read more
Submitted by Dr. Voodoo on Mon, 2008-02-04 16:38.
Again and again, basic human rights are abused and disregarded in St. Maarten. Suspects held longer than the law permits before charge, cramped into disgusting and unhealthy cells, sometimes with violent prisoners. Police abuse and incompetance goes uninvestigated and unpubished again and again and all the top management and authorites have to say is that we should support them, have faith, trust.
I don't, I'm sorry. None, zero, nada. zilch!
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Justice Police Crime | Dr. Voodoo's blog | 6 comments | read more
Submitted by Dr. Voodoo on Thu, 2007-12-27 13:54.
4 years? How much is that is St. Maarten terms? And he did it all on his own with no one else knowing about it or turning a blind eye huh? Please fee free to share your comments below.
Four years in jail for millionaire cop - 19th November 2007
Marcel Loor trial to continue today
Loor to know his fate today - 15th November 2007
More can be found in the Marcel Loor Thread
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Justice Police Crime | Hady Nufyet's blog | 7 comments | read more
Submitted by Hady Nufyet on Mon, 2007-11-19 08:58.
Who gives a damn what we say? Are they listening to us? Do they really care?
Who will they blame next when SXM becomes a country?
It was a pitiful sight to see how our Commissioners behaved before the Dutch? Like the picture above, Roy had his hand over his mouth, Louie had the SXM flag over his eyes and Theo became deaf after he fell in a pothole. The others suffered immediate amnesia.
The headlines below confirm that we are doomed under the Democratic Party.
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Business and Labor | Climate Change | Development and Construction | Environment | Health | Justice Police Crime | Tourism | sybille's blog | 26 comments | read more
Submitted by sybille on Tue, 2007-11-13 17:13.
Today is November 11th, St. Maarten/Martin´s Day, I have no doubt that all the local power and money hungry politicians, from both sides of the island, will be out and about giving speaches, stoking the ol fire of national pride. Reinforcing the delusion many seem to have, that because they are local we must be proud of them too.
Every local, and by local I include those who have emigrated here, who love the island and call it home, should avoid the ´political´events today and do something else instead. I have some suggestions.
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Dutch Politics | Federal Politics | Justice Police Crime | Tourism | Hady Nufyet's blog | 2 comments | read more
Submitted by Hady Nufyet on Sat, 2007-11-10 05:28.
I'm sure a few people out there are ready to jump in and voice an opinion on the latest episode of the 'tragicomedy' of our island's law enforcement and justice systems, both sides.
The new articles are linked below. Please keep it intelligent and be respectful to other commenters and their opinions too. Cheers me dears!
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Justice Police Crime | Flipper's blog | 28 comments | read more
Submitted by Flipper on Mon, 2007-10-15 18:44.
St. Maarten often makes me think of Haiti. In the sense that there are so many problems that need serious and urgent action and all that ever gets done is a bandaid gets applied when intensive care is needed. The problem never really gets solved, it just festers under the bandaid until it starts to seep through, then another bandaid gets applied.
Who is responsible for the disgraceful and shameful situation of crime and justice on St. Maarten? Some tell me it is Dicky and the Federal govt and I am inclined to agree to a certain extent. But..... I also blame the Dutch government.
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Justice Police Crime | Dr. Voodoo's blog | 14 comments | read more
Submitted by Dr. Voodoo on Thu, 2007-10-11 21:36.
Lt Governor Franklyn Richards said to the Daily Herald on Tuesday that as Local Chief of Police he was particularly concerned about the findings of the crime situation and organised crime on the island, not because the contents of the report were entirely new, but because "this detailed three-year study acutely underscores the need for timely implementing measures".
Justice Police Crime | daphne's blog | 2 comments | read more
Submitted by daphne on Wed, 2007-10-10 12:31.
(DAILY HERALD) Antillean Justice Minister David Dick stated during a press briefing at the Antillean House in The Hague that now that the report on organised crime and upholding the law in St. Maarten produced by Dutch Scientific Investigation and Documentation Centre WODC had been published, authorities had an assessment of all that was wrong and could work towards solving the problems.
Justice Police Crime | daphne's blog | 2 comments | read more
Submitted by daphne on Tue, 2007-10-09 13:26.
(DAILY HERALD) "Maintaining the law here is a farce", says scientific investigation to be published soon. A report titled “Organised Crime and Maintaining the Law in St. Maarten” produced by Dutch Scientific Investigation and Documentation Centre WODC has painted an ugly picture of the overall crime situation in the island territory.
According to the report, there is no cooperation among the almost 30 different judicial services available, there is no sharing of information, no form of registration and information system has been set up, and cooperation with the French side also needs better structuring
Justice Police Crime | daphne's blog | 9 comments | read more
Submitted by daphne on Tue, 2007-10-09 13:10.
(RADIO NETHERLANDS) St Maarten is an important centre for international drug trafficking. The island might also be involved in financing terrorism in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
These are two conclusions reached in a confidential report about to be published by the Dutch Research and Documentation Centre (RDC). The researchers say the money comes from drug trafficking and people-smuggling. They also point to a US request for legal assistance in which a company on St Maarten is suspected of sending money to the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Justice Police Crime | daphne's blog | 5 comments | read more
Submitted by daphne on Tue, 2007-10-09 12:19.
(TODAY) "Criminal justice has to be applied if there are no other options. Certain judicial powers are far reaching and the public prosecutor will only be able to exercise them if I give my permission. I am an independent and impartial judge with equal respect for the prosecutor's and the defendant's interest."
Mr F.W. van Lottum started work as residing judge at the Philipsburg courthouse at the beginning of August. The 34-year old served already four years as a judge in Dordrecht, near Rotterdam...
Source: Today, October 8, 2007
Justice Police Crime | daphne's blog | login or register to post comments | read more
Submitted by daphne on Tue, 2007-10-09 11:24.
The prisoner who unsuccessfully attempted to hang himself last Friday has been released to relatives on the French side following the incident.
Justice Police Crime | daphne's blog | login or register to post comments | read more
Submitted by daphne on Tue, 2007-10-09 10:27.
As I was helping out and posting news clippings from the past few weeks, I was reminded of the recent break ins at the Chamber of Commerce and the Courthouse.
They could of course just be ordinary burglaries, but the reports about the crimes leaves this questionable. Such places hold sensitve information and documents, to some people, these can be more valuable than cash. Of course, taking any cash or a few items like a computer or two helps to cover that up somewhat.
Maybe I'm just a conspiracy nut? Anyone?
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Justice Police Crime | Hady Nufyet's blog | 3 comments | read more
Submitted by Hady Nufyet on Mon, 2007-09-24 08:37.
Poor Loor, tried and convicted in the court of public opinion and his trial didn't even start yet. The Today paper seems to be on a roll, two editorials already this week lamenting that the principle of innocent until proven guilty has fallen by the wayside.
Perhaps the Today just doesn't get it that public confidence and faith in the courts and justice system of St. Maarten is at an all time low. Cynicism and skepticism rule and the people to blame for it are the authorities and politicians.
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Justice Police Crime | Hady Nufyet's blog | 12 comments | read more
Submitted by Hady Nufyet on Thu, 2007-09-20 22:52.
Ex-cop Hen Ling Soon on a quest for justice - 12th September 2007
Feel free to discuss this story in comments below, Hen Ling is a regular visitor to SXM PE and I am sure will answer questions anyone may have. Keep your comments and questions respectful and polite please. Updates will be posted below.
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Justice Police Crime | Hady Nufyet's blog | 6 comments | read more
Submitted by Hady Nufyet on Wed, 2007-09-19 07:36.
There is an old saying, perhaps you have heard it?
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, or all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."
I have tried give Taco some leeway, I met him once in passing briefly and he seemed like a nice enough chap. But his recent press release about the Loor Trial last week leaves me with a total lack of confidence that the prosecutors office is capable of even scratching the surface of corruption on the island, even if they wanted to.
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Justice Police Crime | Dr. Voodoo's blog | 3 comments | read more
Submitted by Dr. Voodoo on Tue, 2007-09-11 22:30.
And all things related can be found below.
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Justice Police Crime | 9 comments | read more
Submitted by Flipper on Thu, 2005-06-09 18:21.
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