PHILIPSBURG--A Ministerial Decree issued by former Justice Minister Egbert Doran during his last days in office stripped the Prosecutor’s Office of its authority to issue certificates of good conduct and returned this power to the minister of justice.
Doran signed the decree on March 26, just two days before he was sworn in as Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI. Anna Richardson replaced him as Justice Minister.
According to the decree, in 2012 then-Justice Minister Roland Duncan relinquished the authority of issuing certificates of good conduct from the justice minister to the St. Maarten Attorney-General or, in his or her absence, the Justice Ministry Secretary-General.
In 2016, then-Justice Minister Edson Kirindongo mandated the Chief Prosecutor, or a person from the Prosecutor’s Office selected by the Chief Prosecutor, to issue certificates of good conduct instead of the attorney-general.
Doran’s decree revoked this authority from the Chief Prosecutor and returned it to the justice minister.
“The Minister of Justice, to avoid even the slightest impression of conflict of interest(s) as well as to maintain a proper separation of legally-assigned tasks and authority, no longer considers it desired, diligent or necessary to have persons mentioned above mandated [to execute these tasks – Ed.],” according to the decree.
The Daily Herald understands Richardson is currently reviewing the decree.
Richardson and Chief Prosecutor Mirjam Mol declined to comment when approached by this newspaper.
