GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Sjamira Roseburg is advocating a broader approach to youth development and crime prevention in St. Maarten, calling for structured after-school activities, mentorship opportunities and a dedicated second-chance job fair to help young people and individuals who have encountered difficulties with the law find a path toward productive employment and greater stability.
Speaking during an interview on the Breakfast Lounge with Lady Grace, the URSM faction leader argued that addressing school violence and youth-related crime requires more than enforcement and punishment. She believes greater attention must be given to creating opportunities, providing positive guidance and helping individuals who have made mistakes rebuild their lives.
MP Roseburg emphasized that young people who lack structure, supervision and meaningful activities can become vulnerable to negative influences, particularly when they see limited alternatives to life on the streets. She argued that government, schools, employers and the wider community all have roles to play in providing those alternatives.
A central part of her proposal is the development of structured after-school programs that keep young people engaged beyond regular school hours. Drawing on her experiences growing up in the Netherlands, Roseburg recalled having access to activities that provided direction and reduced the temptation to spend time on the streets.
She believes similar opportunities should be expanded in St. Maarten, combining constructive activities with mentorship and exposure to positive role models who can help young people make better decisions about their futures.
Roseburg acknowledged that disagreements and conflicts among young people will occur, but maintained that providing alternative activities and support systems can help prevent those situations from developing into more serious problems.
Using Real-Life Experiences to Discourage Crime
One of the approaches Roseburg proposed involves allowing individuals who have experienced the consequences of criminal behavior to share their stories directly with young people.
She suggested that persons incarcerated at the Point Blanche prison, individuals involved in criminal court proceedings and others who have made poor decisions could potentially play a role in prevention efforts by explaining the consequences of their choices.
According to Roseburg, hearing directly from someone who has experienced incarceration or become involved in the justice system may have a greater impact on young people than repeated warnings from adults who have never faced those circumstances.
She believes such conversations could help students better understand how certain decisions can affect their freedom, employment prospects, families and future opportunities.
The MP emphasized the need to bring different segments of the community together for difficult conversations about crime, personal responsibility and the choices available to young people.
Her proposal places importance on both positive role models who demonstrate what can be achieved through discipline and perseverance, and individuals who can speak about the consequences of taking the wrong path.
Proposes Dedicated Second-Chance Job Fair
Beyond school-based prevention measures, Roseburg is calling for greater employment opportunities for individuals seeking to rebuild their lives after making mistakes. She revealed that a proposal for a second-chance job fair is among the matters she has raised with the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA).
Referring to a recently held job fair, Roseburg suggested that a similar initiative should specifically target persons who have experienced difficulties entering or returning to the workforce because of their past circumstances. "Let's have a second chance job market as well," Roseburg said during the interview.
She argued that individuals who have not always made the right choices should still have opportunities to find employment, support their families and become productive members of society. MP Roseburg linked the proposal to the economic pressures facing some residents, explaining that people who struggle to meet their basic needs may become more vulnerable to making decisions that place them in conflict with the law.
She believes that creating legitimate employment opportunities should therefore be considered part of the country's broader crime prevention strategy. The MP indicated that she intends to follow up with VSA on the proposal and explore how such an initiative could be developed.
Employers Encouraged to Offer Opportunities After Community Service
Roseburg also called on the private sector to consider its role in helping individuals reintegrate into society. She suggested that companies already providing community service opportunities could explore offering employment to participants after they successfully complete their assigned service.
Under such an approach, individuals would have an opportunity to demonstrate their willingness to work, develop positive habits and potentially establish a relationship with an employer. Roseburg expressed confidence that some businesses would be willing to participate in initiatives that offer people an opportunity to move forward from past mistakes.
Her proposal reflects a broader view that crime prevention should include practical opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration, rather than focusing exclusively on punishment.
Calls for Follow-Up on School Violence Prevention Pilot
Roseburg also addressed existing efforts to reduce violence in schools, including a pilot program she identified as the CRT initiative, which she said was launched through the education authorities in December 2025.
According to the MP, the pilot included training for teachers in social-emotional development and restorative practices, with activities involving students and parents also forming part of the initiative.
She explained that she had requested information about the pilot's progress, its effectiveness and whether the government intends to expand the approach. MP Roseburg said these concerns were included in a letter submitted on September 3, 2026, to the Ministers of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS), Justice and VSA.
The letter also raised the possibility of introducing mentorship and role-model programs, increasing police visibility and exploring additional measures aimed at preventing school violence.
She emphasized that the involvement of all three ministries is important because the challenges facing young people extend beyond the responsibilities of any single government department.
Military Programs Could Also Provide Structure and Direction
Roseburg further pointed to structured military-related youth activities as another avenue worth exploring. She recalled visiting the Marine Base in Savaneta, Aruba, where she examined the SVT program and spoke with young men participating in the initiative about their experiences and whether they found it beneficial.
She said information from that visit was subsequently shared with St. Maarten's Ministers of Justice and General Affairs. Roseburg also welcomed a training activity organized by the military on St. Maarten around September, saying the participating young people responded positively.
She hopes additional sessions can be organized and expanded to reach more young people, allowing them to experience a structured environment while learning about possible career opportunities.
Prevention, Opportunity and Shared Responsibility
Throughout the discussion, Roseburg maintained that providing young people with alternatives is essential to addressing the factors that can contribute to violence and criminal behavior.
Her proposals bring together several elements of prevention, including after-school supervision, mentorship, education, personal responsibility, structured training and access to employment.
She stressed that the objective should be to give young people meaningful choices while ensuring that those who have already made mistakes are not automatically denied an opportunity to improve their circumstances.
Roseburg said she intends to continue following up with the relevant ministries on the initiatives she has raised, including the school violence prevention measures and proposed second-chance employment opportunities.
Her position is that lasting improvements in public safety will require cooperation between government institutions, employers, schools, families and community organizations, with greater emphasis on providing people with the support and opportunities needed to choose a different path.
