GREAT BAY--Construction of the new Point Blanche Prison facility is progressing, with significant excavation and security fencing works completed in recent weeks as preparations move forward for targeted demolition activities expected to begin in the coming weeks.
The Ministry of Justice, in an update issued Wednesday, November 4, said the project is advancing under the implementation of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), while measures are being enforced to limit disruptions to prison operations, personnel, inmates and residents of the surrounding Point Blanche community.
The ongoing excavation and fencing activities represent an important stage in preparing the site for further construction. However, the Ministry acknowledged that heavy civil works, particularly demolition and the operation of machinery, will generate temporary noise and dust.
To reduce these effects, the contractor has implemented several environmental and safety measures. High-impact demolition activities and the use of noisy machinery are being restricted to designated working periods, allowing for quiet intervals rather than continuous disturbance.
Dust suppression measures have also been reinforced, including regular water spraying throughout the construction site. Personal protective equipment, including masks and earplugs, has been made available to prison staff and inmates.
According to the Ministry, health and safety personnel are continuously monitoring construction activities, assessing their impact and adjusting mitigation measures where necessary. Regular communication with prison management is also being maintained to ensure that construction activities do not compromise daily prison operations.
The new prison forms part of St. Maarten's broader Detention Sector Reform Program, which aims to modernize the country's correctional infrastructure and improve detention conditions.
The facility is being developed in accordance with international human rights and detention standards, with an emphasis on rehabilitation, dynamic security and structured inmate management. The project also incorporates environmental sustainability, social considerations and gender-responsive principles into the design of future operations.
The Ministry emphasized that executing a construction project of this scale within an active correctional environment requires continuous coordination among the various stakeholders.
Both the Ministry of Justice and UNOPS said they remain committed to delivering a secure, humane and resilient correctional facility while ensuring that construction activities are managed responsibly.
The latest update did not provide a revised completion date for the new prison, but confirmed that excavation and security fencing activities have advanced sufficiently to allow the next phase of targeted demolition to proceed.
