The concerns raised by the NAPB police union should not be brushed aside as routine labour grievances. They go to the heart of how St. Maarten values those entrusted with protecting society. Justice workers face some of the island’s most dangerous circumstances – containing prison riots, responding to violent crime, and keeping order in uncertain times. To send them into such conditions without clear and adequate insurance coverage is not just an administrative oversight, it is a breach of trust.
NAPB President Marcus Pantophlet reminded Parliament that during the May 2025 prison riot, officers were deployed while their insurance had lapsed. Treasurer Janice Philips underscored that members had been paying into the scheme since 2022, only to see coverage vanish in 2023 when deductions stopped. The union’s frustration is understandable. Officers once had access to coverage, disability, life insurance, and death benefits, that brought a certain level of peace of mind for them and their families. That security has been replaced with vague promises of “smartengeld,” a concept not well defined.
Compounding the insurance issue are delays in processing landsbesluiten (LBs). These decrees, essential for job security and fair compensation, have been mired in slow timelines and inconsistent rollouts. Philips questioned why some workers receive their LB while others wait months, if not years. Such delays erode morale and raise questions about fairness and administrative competence.
The Ministry of Justice has pushed back, insisting that workers are not uncovered and that ongoing reviews are meant to expand, not reduce, benefits. Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling also recently announced her ministry was finalising Batch 16 of the landsbesluiten.
At the same time, it is fair to acknowledge that government operates within real budgetary limits and legal and administrative manpower challenges to complete documents that need meticulous preparation.
Insurance schemes, retroactive LB payments, and justice system reforms all place significant strain on the public purse in a small island economy still balancing recovery and resilience. The challenge lies not in dismissing these constraints, but in ensuring that workers see a clear plan and timeline for when commitments will be honoured.
Justice workers in St. Maarten serve under some intense conditions. It is the state’s responsibility to safeguard their welfare through both legal frameworks and insurance. At the same time, unions like NAPB have the duty to hold policymakers accountable and to communicate transparently with their membership.
For the system to function fairly and effectively, both sides must recommit: the union to evidence-based advocacy, and the government to expedient, transparent, and consistent policy enforcement. Only then can loyalty, trust, and security thrive at the front line of our justice system.
