PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling has issued a firm response to the recent statements made by the NAPB police union regarding the status of national decrees for justice workers. The Minister reaffirmed her commitment to a fair and structured placement process while rejecting misinformation and public tactics that create unnecessary unrest.
“I take seriously my responsibility to ensure that justice workers receive their rightful placements through a fair and structured process. However, I will not accept the spreading of misinformation or public tactics that create unnecessary unrest, especially when those involved know the facts and have had every opportunity to engage with me directly,” stated Minister Tackling.
Since taking office, Minister Tackling has engaged transparently with all unions, including the NAPB, to address longstanding issues related to national decrees. The Minister emphasized that the NAPB has two representatives directly involved in finalizing these batches, making their recent public statements misleading.
The handling of every batch is different, there are no timelines to batches to ensure that everyone receives their entitlements correctly to avoid objections as was experienced with previous batches. A batch is comprised of 20 to 25 individual files, which must be scrutinized properly as everyone is different and the duration depends on the complexity of the individual cases involved.
Clarifying the Facts:
To address the misinformation, Minister Tackling set the record straight on several points:
- On Batch 13: “I did not state that all national decrees for Batch 13 would be completed by the end of January. What I have said was that the staff of the Point Blanche Prison would receive their placement proposals, an important step in a thorough validation process that ensures every decree is issued correctly.”
- On Delays: “The NAPB’s own representatives in this process are aware that the committee they sit on only provided 16 case files for Batch 13 instead of the standard 20 to 25, directly affecting the timeline. The additional 9 case files for this batch were presented to the Ministry by said Committee on January 30th, 2025. Yet the NAPB fails to mention this publicly.”
- On the Batching System: “It was not my decision to divide all placements within the Ministry into batches and across different departments at different times. This approach was agreed upon by all stakeholders, including NAPB, prior to my tenure, and I am now left to execute and improve where I can. Accelerating the process will not help but hurt members of NAPB when mistakes are made.”
- On Previous Administration Gaps: “When I assumed office, I was not provided with any transition document outlining the status of these decrees. I had to reconstruct the process from the ground up while also correcting previous mistakes and ensuring we learn from past complaints. As an attorney, I will not be rushed into shortcuts that could jeopardize the integrity of this process.”
- On Union Conduct: “Why was the protocol of bringing concerns to the CCSU not followed? Of all the unions, why is the NAPB the only one that does not know what’s going on when they are the only union with two members actively working on the batches?”
Minister Tackling also criticized the NAPB for bypassing her office and instead taking their concerns to the Prime Minister. “What is particularly disingenuous is that instead of bringing this matter to me, the NAPB had no issue finding their way to the Prime Minister’s office this morning. If they are truly committed to their members, they should address their concerns with me directly. Public grandstanding and misinformation will not move this process forward, only honest and professional engagement will.”
Despite the challenges, Minister Tackling reaffirmed her empathy for justice workers and their frustrations. “I have complete empathy for the justice workers and fully understand their frustration in not having their proper placements secured. That is exactly why I am working diligently and responsibly to finalize this process the right way. However, I cannot perform miracles, and these types of tactics only take away from the real work being done.”
Minister Tackling urged for professionalism moving forward. “I hope that this is the last time I have to address such reckless, divisive, and counterproductive tactics. My priority remains ensuring that justice workers receive what they are owed, properly, lawfully, and without political interference. If the NAPB is serious about its role, they will work with me, not against me.”
