WILLEMSTAD – The Coast Guard for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean Region has appointed Joëlle de Jong-Mercelina as the new Deputy Director of the Coast Guard, effective from October 2nd. De Jong-Mercelina is the new Deputy Director (PDKW).

De Jong-Mercelina will be responsible for the execution of coast guard tasks and the internal management of the Coast Guard. She will have daily leadership over the organization. According to the Coast Guard, De Jong-Mercelina is exceptionally qualified for the position, thanks to her impressive career, especially at the Ministry of Justice of Curaçao. In her last position at the Ministry, she served as Acting Secretary-General. Her extensive knowledge in law enforcement, public law, maritime law, as well as her background in international relations, is highly applicable to the Coast Guard.

Additionally, she represented Curaçao as a deputy member of the Presidium of the Coast Guard Committee for a long time and gained relevant experience as a lecturer in International Public Law at the University of the Dutch Antilles/Curaçao. De Jong-Mercelina is also a former member of the Volunteer Corps of the Dutch Antilles.

First Woman

What makes this appointment unique is that De Jong-Mercelina is the first woman to hold the position of PDKW at the Coast Guard in the Caribbean region. The Coast Guard warmly welcomes the new Deputy Director.