From left: Justice Ministers Nathalie Tackling (St. Maarten), Arthur Dowers (Aruba) and Shalten Hato (Curaçao).
PHILIPSBURG--The Justice Ministries of St. Maarten, Aruba and Curaçao are currently developing long-term crime prevention strategies aimed at reducing criminal activity across the islands. The plans are set to be presented during the next Justice Quadripartite Consultation JVO, scheduled to take place in St. Maarten in 2026.
The commitment to draft comprehensive prevention plans was one of the key outcomes of the recent JVO meeting, which was held last week in Aruba. Although Dutch Minister of Justice David van Weel was unable to attend, the gathering proceeded as a tripartite consultation between Justice Ministers Natalie Tackling of St. Maarten, Arthur Dowers of Aruba, and Shalten Hato of Curaçao.
On Monday June 16, the ministers visited several police stations of the Aruba Police Force and held discussions on pressing issues affecting local communities, including neighbourhood safety and practical solutions to curb crime.
The meeting agenda also included the prevention of youth crime, the prevalence of illegal firearms, monitoring of homicide cases, and improved cooperation among justice system partners both within and between the islands.
The ministers also addressed the growing concerns related to undocumented migrants, as well as the associated risks of human trafficking and exploitation.
