PHOTO: Delegations of the four Ministers of Justice at the Judicial Four-Party Consultation in Aruba on Friday.
Minister of Justice Hon. Dennis Richardson joined his colleagues from the Netherlands, Curacao and Aruba in Oranjestad, Aruba for the Judicial Four-Party Consultation last Friday, to discuss judicial matters within the Kingdom such as police cooperation, prison system and the coast guard.
PHOTO CUTLINE: L to R, Acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice Richard Panneflek, Minister of Justice Hon. Dennis Richardson.
Ministers expect to receive the judicial multi-year policy plan 2014-2017 in December. The Ministers would like to meet with the Dutch Minister of Defense with respect to the Coast Guard’s participation in certain aspects of the judicial policy plan.
In matters related to Police Affairs, discussions centered on application requirements to become a police officer; training of police officers; Detective Joint Cooperation Team 2012 Annual Report; Financial Annual Report 2012; Year Plan 2013; 2013 Budget; Prison System; and cooperation in the use of technical investigative methods.
The four Ministers have agreed to have the Attorney Generals carry out a study for joint cooperation in using existing operational methods to fight organized crime. Their findings should be ready mid-November for discussion at the December consultation.
Also discussed during the Friday meeting were: immigration matters; DNA profile cooperation; judicial assistance procedures; Common Court of Justice; Budget 2014; and Public Prosecutors Office of Curacao, Sint Maarten and Caribbean Netherlands.
During the consultation, the ministers acknowledged the excellent cooperation and work carried out by the National Detectives (RST).
The next Judicial Four-Party Consultation is to be held in December 2013 under the chairmanship of Sint Maarten’s Minister of Justice.
Representing the Netherlands was Minister of Security and Justice Hon. Ivo Opstelten, Curacao Minister of Justice Hon. Nelson Navarro, and Aruba Minister of Justice Hon. Arthur Dowers.