PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of Justice acknowledges the concerns of justice workers and understands the frustration caused by the delay in finalizing national decrees (LBs). While the process has taken longer than anticipated, Minister of Justice Nathalie M. Tackling remains committed to getting it right, ensuring that placements are accurate, legally sound, and transparent, leaving no room for unnecessary objections once completed.
Why Has the Process Taken So Long?
Since 10-10-10, the Ministry of Justice has had to be built from the ground up, starting with creating new function books for departments that either had none or were using outdated versions. Now that function books are in place, the Ministry is moving forward with issuing national decrees (LBs) to align justice workers with their appropriate roles accurately. However, the placement process is complex and time-consuming. Each placement must be cross-checked against four different payroll systems to ensure accuracy. More than 50% of issued LBs in earlier batches resulted in objections. To avoid this, Minister Tackling is focused on refining the process, involving worker feedback earlier in the validation phase to reduce the likelihood of objections later on.
A New, Transparent, and Efficient Approach to Minimize Objections
Minister Tackling is introducing a more transparent and proactive procedure involving justice workers to improve efficiency and reduce post-completion objections. This new process begins with a thorough validation phase, during which the Ministry reviews and verifies each individual’s employment and salary history across the four payroll systems. Once the review is finished, each justice worker will receive a draft version of their LB, supporting documents, and a clear explanation of their proposed placement. A 30-day window will then be provided to submit any concerns or objections to the independent Objections Committee. If objections are submitted, the Committee will issue a binding advice to the Minister, and necessary adjustments will be made before the LB is completed. Under the current system, justice workers can only object after the LB is completed. This new approach ensures greater transparency and accuracy while allowing workers to be heard before decisions are final.
Current Status of Batches
Batch 13 is currently in its final stages, being reviewed by the Ministry of Finance before moving on to the Governor for final approval. While this batch followed the existing procedure, an adjusted approach was used to help reduce the number of objections. This included one-on-one explanations of LB differences to foster mutual understanding and minimize the need for formal objections. Each case in Batch 13 was handled with care and precision because the goal is not simply to finish the process but to do so correctly. With Batch 13 nearing completion, the Ministry has already begun work on Batches 14 and 15, which will follow the newly introduced, more transparent approach that involves justice workers earlier in the process to ensure clarity, fairness, and fewer objections from the outset.
A Message to Our Justice Workers
We hear you, and we understand your concerns. We acknowledge that communication has not always been clear and are committed to improving it. Your voice matters, which is why this new approach places you at the center of the process and makes you part of the solution. Minister Tackling remains dedicated to completing placements with fairness and transparency and with as little disruption as possible. With this new method, we aim to complete the first phase of the placement process by the end of the year.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Another unlicensed firearm and a very realistic look-alike are off the community in the hands of the Police. The two weapons were turned in on the second day of the “Stop, Drop, and GO” Firearm Amnesty Programme. 
PHILIPSBURG:--- In a move aimed at improving accessibility and streamlining service delivery, Kadaster St. Maarten has introduced a new credit line starting from Cg. 5,000 and upwards, with a 60-day payment term for eligible clients, including legal professionals. This initiative is part of a broader effort to support fair and timely access to Kadaster’s services and was announced during a recent meeting between Kadaster Director Benjamin Ortega and the Dean of the Bar Association, Zylena Bary.