WILLEMSTAD – The Sentro di Detenshon i Korekshon Kòrsou (SDKK), Curaçao’s main correctional facility, is facing a critical shortage of prison staff, with only around 75 Penitentiary Officers (PIWs) currently employed—far below the required 120. The shortage is putting pressure on the prison’s operations and raising serious concerns about security and inmate supervision. 

No new class of PIWs has been trained since 2009. This long-standing gap, combined with an aging workforce, retirements, illness, and deaths, has created a chronic staffing crisis at the prison. 

PIWs are responsible for maintaining order, ensuring security, and guiding the rehabilitation of inmates. With their numbers dwindling, the daily operations of the facility are under strain, and risks to both staff and prisoners have increased. 

Union leader Deanix Martis and his colleagues have repeatedly raised the issue with Minister of Justice Shalten Hato (MFK), especially throughout 2023. However, according to the union, there has been no substantial action taken to address the problem. 

“The safety and functionality of our prison system is at stake,” the union warned, urging the government to act immediately to recruit and train new staff to restore order and prevent further deterioration of conditions at SDKK. 

Calls for a new training program and workforce expansion are growing louder, as the facility continues to operate under increasing pressure and limited manpower.