Dear Editor,
Just like many I too have waited with patience to see the tenure of this Minister of Justice, Anna Elaine Richardson, reaches to its end. While many may be feeling bad, I am sure that there are many more who are super happy. As this Minister of Justice hereby receives her report card, that is very bad and ugly.
An article of the front page of The Daily Herald newspaper dated Tuesday, April 23, 2024 titled “Minister of Justice has done nothing to curb prostitution, Council reports” states that the Law Enforcement Council remarks that Anna Elaine Richardson 4-year tenure has seen lack of adherence to crucial recommendations proposed by the Law Enforcement Council, this despite the council’s comprehensive advice on curbing this social challenge, she has yet to implement any of its suggestions.
Her first mistake during her 4-year tenure is when she has decided to become too friendly with her subordinate, the Chief of Police. Huge mistake, because from then she lost the leadership and control that she was supposed to exercise over him. How blind can one be not to see or notice the wrongdoings of the Chief of Police. On too many occasions, she stressed that she would do it “the right way” as she threw her own party member, colleague minister in the Council of Ministers, deputy Prime Minister, in his capacity as former Minister of Justice, under the bus. She did not have any respect and chose to insult him every time again and again. She embarked on having the new Function Book finalized for the different Justice departments, which she proudly presented as her biggest accomplishment.
While the Function Book was made in order to cover the actual situations within the departments, yet we see that the Chief of Police goes beyond all rules and regulation of this new Function Book and has been promoting his protégées and/or “special friends”. Young officers, without the proper level of education or any degree nor experience, with a few years of service, have attended a 2-week training in Miami, are promoted to the rank of Police Inspectors. Rookies that were permitted to enter the Force via a special training because of lack of the rightful level of education. These actions by the Chief of Police are endorsed by the outgoing Minister of Justice and approved by our Governor, who signed these national decrees. I guess the Governor and his master professor were so busy scrutinizing screening reports of the candidate ministers, that they did not pay attention to what they were doing by signing the national decrees for these young officers, one who barely covers three years of service.
The promotion of the protégées and/or special friends that jumped a few ranks (agent van politie, brigadier, hoofd-agent) is the cause of much grief to the many senior officers that have many more years of service then these young rookies. These rookies jumped from scale 5 and scale 6 to scale 9. This can be considered a royal gift. Naturally, this is a bitter pill to swallow and it has a demotivated effect on the senior officers, who have over 15 years and some over 25 years of service.
It is such a pity that the senior officers cannot even turn to their union for help as some of the union board members are also in cohorts with the wrongdoings in an effort to be privileged themselves.
According to the new Function Book, that went into effect on February 14th, 2024, the requirements for a promotion to the rank of police inspector are as follows: (literally copied from said function book)
- Knowledge and experience requirements.
- MBO level of work and thinking, based on a relevant MBO education or a relevant VMBO or HAVO, supplemented by subject-oriented (and possibly management-oriented) education, or long-term relevant experience;
- Knowledge of relevant areas of criminal law, criminal procedure and administrative law;
- Knowledge of and experience in the application of documentation and record-keeping systems;
- Knowledge of and skill in conflict mediation;
- Knowledge of developments within emergency services;
- Knowledge of specific security issues of concern to citizens, businesses and institutions;
- Experience and skill in acting as director of operational area activities;
- Knowledge of Dutch and English and possibly French, Spanish and Papiamento.
A one-week or two-weeks training on area surveillance does not provide a rookie with the abovementioned requirements to warrant the promotion to the rank of Police Inspector. A Police Inspector in rank is also an acting prosecutor (Hulp Officier van Justitie), when such is needed. Strangely enough, these promotions and these actions seem to be acceptable to the very same justice authorities such as the Prosecutor General as well as the former Prime Minister Silveria Jacob, who dare speak about upholding integrity in the Council of Ministers at that time.
The Chief of Police has also been paying himself certain royalties to which he has no entitlement. Which Chief of Police receives an extra pay to be a member of an Arrest Team (AT)? Even if the Chief of Police used to be a member of the AT, with his appointment as the Chief of Police, he should no longer be entitled to that extra pay. More so when he does collect an extra pay next to his salary as Chief of Police. Seemingly, the Chief of Police, a two-faced manipulator, has no regard for the taxpayer’s money, as he is careless with the budgetary aspects of the organization. This all under the guidance of the outgoing Minister of Justice, Anna Elaine Richardson.
During the 4-year tenure of the outgoing Minister of Justice, many senior civil servants with years of experience were rid of their position. Why? Just because she could not beat their intelligence.
During the 4-year tenure of the outgoing Minister of Justice there were over 550 court cases registered against the Ministry of Justice. What a record, but of course nothing to be proud of. The unmerciful decisions taken by the outgoing Minister of Justice that caused so much grief to families that were separated from their loved ones. She caused so much unrepairable emotional harm to so many people.
Violations of the EVRM by breaking and separation of many families. Her flip-flop changes of the policy regulating concubine relationships. While she was all smiles on camera, so many people were in tears by just a glimpse at her. At this point many people can take a sigh of relief to know that there is again hope and humanity in sight.
Suzy from Down the Road.
