Philipsburg – Minister of Justice Anna Richardson and her support staff visited the Prosecutor’s office last week, Friday, July 31, 2020. During the visit, Minister Richardson met with the entire team of the Prosecutor’s office. The purpose of the visit was to understand the systems in place and to identify the challenges this office currently faces. A presentation was given to the group on different scenarios in order to understand the process at the Prosecutor’s office much better. Minister Richardson was also given the opportunity to book a case file and a fine and observe the process for issuing a certificate of good conduct.
The implementation of a ‘Victim Support Service’ is of dire need on St. Maarten and has been of priority for Minister Richardson and in discussions with the Prosecutor’s office, this has become even more apparent. Minister Richardson stated, ‘Oftentimes, the focus is on the offender in a pursuit to ensure that justice prevails, however, during the process, the trauma experienced by the victim and their family is not always handled with sufficient compassion and expertise. As such it is imperative that this service becomes a reality within the very near future for St. Maarten.’
The Prosecutor’s team thanked Minister Richardson and her staff for taking the time to come to their office and see how their operations are conducted. In the best interest of St. Maarten, the Minister will work towards improving the operations at the Prosecutor’s office. Minister Richardson expressed thanks to the Prosecutor and her team and expressed her enthusiasm for a good working relationship.
