Dignitaries in attendance.
PHILIPSBURG--The Ministry of Justice and the Council of Europe hosted St. Maarten’s first Human Rights Conference on Friday, October 9, at the University of St. Martin, bringing together government officials, justice institutions, legal professionals, civil society, students and members of the public to discuss human rights and the country’s responsibilities in protecting them.
Held one day before St. Maarten marked 16 years as a country, the conference examined the mechanisms established to safeguard human rights, how those protections apply in practice and the role of national institutions in upholding them.
The event also took place ahead of the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ upcoming Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, scheduled to run from May to November 2027.
In her keynote address, Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling focused on the responsibility that comes with state authority and the need for authorities to acknowledge and correct shortcomings.
“On 10 October 2010, we gained authority over our own affairs, and with it the obligation that comes with any authority: to answer for how it is used,” Tackling said. “Sixteen years is long enough that we can no longer describe our shortcomings as the growing pains of a young country. They are now ours, and so is the work of fixing them.”
The conference marked another step in St. Maarten’s engagement with the Council of Europe following years of international scrutiny over conditions in the country’s detention system.
In 2018, the European Court of Human Rights found that detention conditions in St. Maarten violated the European Convention on Human Rights in the case of Corallo v. the Netherlands. The execution of that judgment was subsequently placed under the enhanced supervision of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers.
In 2025, Tackling became the first St. Maarten Minister of Justice to appear personally before the Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg in connection with the examination of the Corallo judgment. She addressed the detention situation, the challenges facing the country and the reforms being undertaken.
Reflecting on the experience, Tackling said international scrutiny must lead to lasting changes rather than simply producing reports and official responses.
“If scrutiny produces only a reply to Strasbourg, we have complied. If it changes the institution, strengthens the profession and makes the same failure less likely, we have progressed,” she said.
This approach is reflected in the ongoing Detention Sector Reform Programme (DSRP). Tackling stressed that the programme extends beyond the construction of a new prison and aims to address longstanding shortcomings throughout the detention system while strengthening the institutions and professionals responsible for its operation.
Although detention reform was a central topic, the conference also examined the broader human rights framework and the State’s responsibilities.
Presentations provided information on the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the system for implementing its judgments, while panel discussions explored issues of particular relevance to St. Maarten.
Tackling emphasised that human rights are not abstract principles reserved for international institutions. They are reflected in everyday interactions between people and the State, whether in a prison, at a police station, at a border or when someone approaches the authorities for
protection.
She also rejected the idea that human rights and public safety are competing priorities, describing both as fundamental responsibilities of the State.
The conference concluded a two-day working visit by the Council of Europe delegation to St. Maarten. The visit focused on developments in the implementation of the Corallo judgment, as well as the Murray judgment and the related Lake decision concerning life sentences. It also explored the Council of Europe’s broader relevance to St. Maarten and opportunities for future technical cooperation and assistance.
During the visit, the delegation met with several institutions, including the Governor, the Minister of Justice, Parliament’s Committee of Justice and the St. Maarten Progress Committee.
A visit to Point Blanche Prison provided an opportunity for direct discussions with prison management and partners supporting the ongoing detention reforms.
Tackling called for continued practical engagement with the Council of Europe through technical support, knowledge exchange and institutional strengthening.
She also emphasised that while each country within the Kingdom is responsible for promoting fundamental rights, safeguarding those rights is a Kingdom’s responsibility and should receive corresponding support.
For St. Maarten, the conference provided an opportunity to broaden the national discussion on human rights beyond international reporting and focus on the institutions, standards and responsibilities that affect everyday life.
The Ministry of Justice said it remains committed to strengthening cooperation with the Council of Europe and ensuring that lessons gained through international scrutiny translate into stronger institutions at home. "When we fall short, our job is not to defend the failure but to correct it,” Tackling concluded.
