Many were shocked to read in the Friday/Saturday edition that during a search at the Point Blanche prison 73 weapons were found. That’s about the same number of detainees being held there, so on average they all have one.
Thankfully, these were not firearms, but rather stabbing, piercing and striking weapons. Some might ask how they got inside the penitentiary in the first place.
Keep in mind that these weapons can also be made from utensils, tools and other objects. Inmates have been known to be particularly creative in that sense.
This is also why rehabilitation programmes that involve physical work must be carefully monitored so misuse is not made of the available resources. Keeping a large group of people in custody for extended periods of time is never an easy task.
Guns continue to be a problem throughout the country. Last year there were 60 cases of firearms possession and 56 confiscations, compared to 34 in 2023.
Recent reports from St. Maarten Police Force KPSM on road controls and a number of shootings already this year indicate things probably aren’t getting any better. Plans to tackle the issue include a gun amnesty.
What last week’s cell search in Point Blanche certainly shows is that such exercises should probably be conducted more often. It bears repeating.
