SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Ministry of Justice proudly announces a significant milestone as the 2023 amended budget includes retroactive compensation for the dedicated personnel of the Ministry of Justice. The Honorable Minister of Justice, Anna E. Richardson, expresses happiness over the successful completion of this comprehensive initiative, which has been in the works for over a decade.
The process involved extensive legislative requirements and meticulous review processes to calculate the full financial obligation owed to justice employees both retroactively and moving forward. Minister Richardson, along with a dedicated team, prioritized and brought this monumental task to completion.
Over the past few weeks, Minister Richardson has kept the staff and the public informed with regular updates on the status of the budget. In a decisive move, on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, she presented the completed "Justice Package" to Parliament, anticipating its approval.
The "Justice Package" includes a National Decree with General Measures (LBHAM), also known as the (Rechpositie) for Law for Law Enforcement Sint Maarten. This update to the existing KPNA Police Law encompasses all service with police tasks, including the police, National Detectives, and Immigration and Border Protection officers.
Additionally, the package comprises a National Decree activating the Ministry's Function Book, which Minister Richardson finalized and signed with former Governor His Excellency Drs. Eugene Holiday in December 2021. The package also features a National Decree enacting new salary scales for the police and includes a debt calculation outlining outstanding amounts to specific justice workers and the updated compensation based on the revised Function Book.
Minister Richardson underscores that all legal reviews and presentations to relevant bodies, including the Ministry of Finance, Council of Ministers, Council of Advise, the Parliament of Sint Maarten, Committee for Civil Servants Union (CCSU), and his Excellency Governor Ajamu Baly, have been successfully completed. She expresses confidence that the Justice Package will be signed upon Parliament's approval of the 2023 Budget Amendment.
Minister Richardson urges Members of Parliament to recognize the paramount importance of this amended budget, emphasizing the impact on justice personnel who have long awaited resolution to their labor matters since 2010.
"A lot of time, focus, and efforts have been dedicated to regulating this matter for the men and women of law enforcement in Sint Maarten. We have arrived at the finish line, and we need everyone's support to rectify how the absence of these regulations has negatively impacted the workers and their families," stated Minister Richardson.
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