PHILIPSBURG--The police union NAPB and ABVO St. Maarten are demanding justice for an Immigration officer who allegedly was verbally and physically abused by a local resident.
The two unions jointly convened an urgent meeting with their members on Tuesday morning to address the recent incident and determine the best course of action.
After a day of deliberations, the union leaders, their boards and members marched to the Minister of Justice’s office on A.Th. Illidge Road, delivering a letter penned by their legal counsel, Sjamira Roseburg, on behalf of both unions and their member M. Cannegieter, the Immigration officer in question.
Roseburg’s letter provided a detailed account of the altercation that Cannegieter faced on November 19 during her double shift at Bobby’s Marina. It outlined the verbal and physical abuse she endured at the hands of York. Despite the challenging circumstances and understaffing, Cannegieter followed her supervisor’s instructions, ensuring her safety during the incident, the letter read.
However, Roseburg expressed concern over external parties becoming involved in the matter. It was revealed that York had not only contacted the Minister of Justice, but also reached out to other government officials, including M. Serrant and N. Serrant. The potential influence exerted by these external parties raised questions about the fairness and impartiality of the ongoing investigation, said Roseburg.
According to the letter, Cannegieter followed the appropriate protocol and provided a statement to the office after the incident. However, she was sent home pending an investigation by director J. Levenstone, who cited concerns about York’s passport being made public. However, Roseburg pointed out that the legal basis for Cannegieter’s suspension or placement on inactive duty was not provided in writing by the Ministry of Justice.
In response to the incident, Minister of Justice Anna Richardson issued a press release on Tuesday evening stating that no official notice of suspension had been issued to Cannegieter and her work status remained unaffected. Richardson commended Cannegieter for correctly enforcing the legal requirement for travellers to present valid identification on entry into St. Maarten.
Richardson also addressed concerns regarding a potential violation of Article 97 of the Legal Position of the Police and emphasised the importance of maintaining confidentiality, noting that any breach of this principle may result in disciplinary actions.
She stated her commitment to ensuring a fair and impartial examination of the facts surrounding the incident and that any potential suspension would follow established procedures. She assured Cannegieter that until further communication is provided, she is expected to resume her duties as scheduled.
However, in a subsequent letter to the minister, Roseburg underscored Cannegieter’s unwavering stance against abuse and misuse of power. She raised questions about the involvement of M. Serrant and N. Serrant, seeking confirmation on whether their actions were authorised by the ministry.
According to Roseburg, Cannegieter was pleased to hear that the Minister of Justice recognised her adherence to the legal requirements and established protocols regarding communication with York in the context of travellers entering St. Maarten. Roseburg emphasised that Cannegieter has not intentionally violated any regulations related to her position and has maintained the confidentiality of privileged information throughout the incident.
Roseburg also sought clarity on whether Cannegieter’s formal complaint regarding the alleged abuse is being properly investigated by the police. Furthermore, Roseburg highlighted a discrepancy between the minister’s letter and information provided by Levenstone, the director, regarding Cannegieter’s placement at the head office instead of Bobby’s Marina.
The contradictory statements and unexpected change in position have left Cannegieter perplexed, said Roseburg. She believes that being placed in another position feels like disciplinary action has already been taken against her before the investigation concludes. Roseburg requested clarification from the minister and expressed Cannegieter’s desire to be reinstated in her original position pending the investigation.
