Speech by Minister Foort van Oosten at the Prison Project Sint Maarten – 15th of January 2026

Minister Tackling, 

Your Excellencies, 

Ladies and genlemen, 

It’s an honour to stand here alongside my counterparts from Aruba, Curaçao and Surinam. I’m delighted for us to meet here for this ceremony and show our support for our fellow Minister of Justice, Ms Nathalie Tackling, on this special occasion. 

This groundbreaking ceremony is a milestone. First and foremost this project will contribute to a safe and secure St Maarten, where impunity is not an option and actions have consequences, if you’ll allow me to echo Ms Tackling’s words.
But I also believe imprisonment should lead detainees towards better, more honest lives. That means imprisonment should not only be about punishment, but also about education. About creating opportunities for people to earn money in a decent way and build a better future once they are released.   

Today we’re taking a major step towards a well-functioning, humane prison system, in which punishment and prospects go hand in hand. A system that functions as a pillar of the rule of law. This milestone today provides perspective for the complex challenges of the past and present.
The fact that all of us are standing here together is not just symbolic, but in fact a concrete result of intensive cooperation between St Maarten and the Netherlands on prison matters.

I speak on behalf of the entire Dutch government when I say that we wish to continue this cooperation in the future. 
In that light I specifically want to mention the State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Mr Eddie van Marum. His ministry made 20 million euros available for this construction project, as well as 10 million euros for broader improvements to the detention sector. Mr Van Marum has made great efforts to ensure progress on this project from the side of the government of the Netherlands, for which I thank him.

Five years after the first meetings on this very important topic, between the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Ministry of Justice of St Maarten and the United Nations Office for Project Services, construction is now getting under way. 

This is a tangible result that follows an extensive design phase and a thorough procurement process. It is thanks to the efforts of a great many people that this design will now come to life. And I’m sure we all look forward to seeing the facility’s expanded capacity from mid-2027 onwards. 

We are all well aware that the construction phase will be challenging. The prison will remain operational while the work takes place. I have confidence in the dedication of Minister Tackling, as well as the prison director and his staff, UNOPS and the contractor and their team, to ensure the project is carried out swiftly and smoothly.  

Thank you, Minister Tackling, for allowing me to share these brief remarks, but most of all I want to take this moment to congratulate you and your predecessors on achieving this milestone. Your combined efforts have led us all to this point. 
I look forward to our continued cooperation on prison matters within the Kingdom. 
 

Thank you.