Prisoners in Sint Maarten left without food for 24 hours as guards fail to show up
Inmates at Pointe Blanche prison in Sint Maarten were left without food for approximately 24 hours after no prison guards reported for duty. The situation also meant prisoners remained locked in their cells for an entire day.
The prison has long suffered from severe structural and operational issues. Overcrowded and outdated cells, insufficient ventilation, and inadequate sanitary facilities have plagued the prison. A chronic shortage of guards has repeatedly jeopardized security and daily operations.
Sint Maarten’s Minister of Justice, Nathalie Tackling, condemned the incident, calling it “unacceptable.” Speaking to local media, she stated, “Regardless of their circumstances, every individual has the right to humane treatment, and I fully understand the frustration and concern this situation has caused.”
Since 2010, Sint Maarten has been an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with Aruba and Curaçao. The detention conditions at Pointe Blanche have been a point of concern for years.
In 2018, the European Court of Human Rights placed the Kingdom of the Netherlands under increased scrutiny by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe due to the conditions at the prison. In response, the Dutch government allocated 30 million euros to improve Sint Maarten’s prison system, including 20 million euros for constructing a new, larger facility expected to be completed in 2028. However, the personnel shortage remains unresolved.
According to NOS correspondent Dick Drayer, the fact that the outgoing shift of guards left without waiting for the next shift to arrive suggests a deeper issue with staff motivation.
