NAPB St. Maarten President Marcus Pantophlet.
PHILIPSBURG--The NAPB St. Maarten police union said on Tuesday that its members have voiced increasing frustration after not receiving their national decrees.
NAPB President Marcus Pantophlet told this newspaper when asked that about 300 workers have so far received their decrees in the 12 batches issued thus far, and given that about 700-plus workers are in the ministry, an estimated 400 are still to receive theirs.
The union said in a press release that based on a statement made by Justice Minister Nathalie Tackling, it was understood by members awaiting their national decrees that Batch 13 would have been completed at the end of January. “However, it is the second week of February 2025 and up to date there has been no distribution of national decrees since December 2024,” the union said in its release.
“The Board of NAPB St. Maarten is calling for urgent attention regarding this matter, citing this situation is taking a toll on the morale of the justice workers still awaiting their national decrees. NAPB St. Maarten is also taking this time to raise concerns about the long-term impact of this delay, stressing that it leads to financial instability for those officers awaiting their national decrees,” according to the release.
Pantophlet: “Our members are growing frustrated. I am asked frequently, if not daily, what is happening with the remaining batches of the national decrees? Our members have been more than patient as they continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe. They are not asking for anything more than is due to them.”
The union urges government to provide a clear and transparent timeline as to when “this issue with respect to the national decrees will be resolved.”
