Tackling outlines possible Justice Ministry service fees for 2027
Justice Minister Nathalie Tackling told Parliament on Wednesday 30 September that the ministry is reviewing possible service fees alongside prison and youth plans.
Justice Minister Nathalie Tackling told Parliament on Wednesday 30 September that her ministry is reviewing services that could bring in additional revenue from 2027. The proposals include possible fees or adjusted charges for name-change applications, driver’s licence exemption letters, tinted-window exemptions and vehicle-import processing.
Tackling said Customs, the Police Force of St. Maarten and Immigration and Border Protection are also examining possible charges, including vehicle inspection fees and services provided outside regular working hours. She said the proposals have not been approved and would be assessed for cost, demand, delivery expenses, timing and their effect on residents and businesses before going to Government for a decision.
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The minister said the first phase of the new prison remains targeted for completion in September 2027, followed by a second phase in 2028. The planned capacity is 196 places. Tackling said previous planning put annual operating costs at about US$11.5 million, including staffing and maintenance, though the estimate is being reviewed against the proposed staffing structure and operating model.
Tackling said the draft prison function book has been completed and is under ministerial review. She also said authorities are using temporary measures to manage detention capacity, including considering eligible inmates for release when capacity becomes critical, while examining temporary accommodation and possible transfers within the Kingdom.
The ministry is developing or continuing rehabilitation programmes involving education, vocational development, physical activity, health services, mental-health support, family involvement and digital learning, Tackling said. It is also working with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on a rehabilitation and reintegration roadmap that is expected to include measures such as recidivism.
Tackling said an agreement with the St. Maarten Development Fund to help manage Crime Fund projects is moving toward completion. She said probation services remain under strain and that recruitment is planned for two probation officers, along with policy and project posts.
The minister said foster-family placements are limited, particularly for adolescents and children with behavioural or emotional needs. A recruitment and awareness campaign is planned. The HALT youth intervention initiative remains targeted for implementation during the first half of 2027, she said.
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