PHILIPSBURG – Sint Maarten’s Minister of Justice, Ms. Anna E. Richardson, and the Director of the Sint Maarten Medical Center (SMMC), Dr. Felix Holiday, have recently met to discuss potential collaboration between the Ministry of Justice and SMMC to improve and strengthen the medical structure and services provided at various detention facilities. 

The meeting was attended by SMMC’s HR Manager, Harlec Doran, prison Director Steven Carty, Sr. Legal Policy Advisor Geertje van Hapere and Policy Advisor Demi Bute. 

The Ministry of Justice holds the legal responsibility to ensure appropriate medical care for detainees at prison facilities, including the provision of doctors and nurses. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) emphasized the significance of this aspect in their 2014 report and their most recent visit in May 2022. 

Guarantee

The committee has recommended that Sint Maarten takes measures to guarantee that individuals held in police custody and/or detention have access to a medical doctor from the moment of their deprivation of liberty. Minister Richardson recognizes the vital importance of providing adequate medical care to inmates and takes the recommendations from the CPT, Law Enforcement Committee (LEC), and other entities very serious.