WILLEMSTAD – On Tuesday, May 14, 2025, a large fire broke out at the Point Blanche prison facility in St. Maarten, causing significant damage to both the building and its operational infrastructure. The incident raised serious concerns about the safety of inmates and prison staff. 

In response to the emergency, St. Maarten’s Minister of Justice, Ms. Nathalie M. Tackling, formally requested assistance from other detention facilities within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including Curaçao, seeking both logistical and human support to manage the situation. The Ministry of Justice of Curaçao, along with Justice Minister Shalten Hato, promptly responded positively to the request. 

Demonstrating a spirit of solidarity and cooperation within the Kingdom, Curaçao has sent two staff members from the Sentro di Detenshon i Korekshon Kòrsou (SDKK) to provide direct assistance to the Point Blanche facility. This decision was made after carefully assessing SDKK’s own personnel limitations. 

The two correctional officers departed for St. Maarten on Wednesday afternoon with the mission of helping to ensure continuity of basic prison operations and maintaining security. They will work in close cooperation with their counterparts at Point Blanche to help stabilize the situation on the ground. 

Minister Hato will continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with his colleague in St. Maarten and stands ready to provide additional assistance if necessary.