PHILIPSBURG:--- Mr. Jocelyn R. Levenstone, a veteran law enforcement and border control professional with nearly 35 years’ experience, was dismissed on Friday from his post as head of Sint Maarten’s Immigration Department by Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling. Despite his extensive background—which includes key roles with the Dutch Caribbean Coastguard, Port Sint Maarten, and as a police officer—Levenstone’s leadership faced escalating challenges leading to his removal after persistent concerns about underperformance and operational backlogs.

Levenstone had been appointed to the leadership position in October 2023, bringing with him a long record in law enforcement, crime prevention, maritime security, and public safety oversight. His appointment was seen as a move toward greater departmental effectiveness, building on experience as Manager of Safety and Security at Port Sint Maarten and as Head of the Coastguard Substation on Sint Maarten. However, these functions and experiences were ultimately overshadowed by mounting difficulties within the department.

According to well-placed sources, numerous employees had submitted detailed letters to Minister Tackling since her appointment, outlining a variety of issues within the department. Their concerns ranged from a difficult workplace climate to repeated failures in leadership and management. Despite repeated warnings, the backlog of residency permits and other essential services continued to climb, impacting residents and contributing to widespread dissatisfaction.

Minister Tackling delivered the news in a comprehensive five-page letter, clearly spelling out the department’s challenges and the specific grievances raised by staff. Employees said they were surprised by the timing of the decision, noting that although frustration had been building, few expected such a decisive move.

Complicating matters further, Levenstone had recently applied for the position of governor of Saba, highlighting the stakes of his abrupt removal. The Ministry of Justice now faces the urgent task of tackling the backlog and rebuilding public trust in immigration services as the search for new leadership moves forward.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Traffic congestion on St. Maarten is not worsening due to a lack of discussion. It is deteriorating due to a lack of execution. Every day of delay compounds economic cost, public frustration, and lost confidence in governance. When public announcements about solutions begin to contradict one another, the problem extends beyond the roads themselves. In such circumstances, clarity is not optional but necessary.

On 23 December 2024, The Daily Herald reported that the Minister of VROMI had engaged the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to develop a comprehensive action plan to alleviate traffic congestion on the island. The language at the time conveyed a clear impression that a technical process had already been initiated and that strategic solutions were being actively pursued.

More than a year later, on 16 January 2026, the Government of Sint Maarten announced the signing of a Letter of Intent between the Ministry of VROMI and UNOPS to improve national mobility. One is left to wonder whether the public is being informed of a new milestone or being asked to re-read last year’s announcement under a different headline.

Taken together, these two announcements appear to describe the same process, separated not by outcomes but by time.

This sequence raises several fundamental questions that deserve clear answers:

- Does the Letter of Intent represent the conclusion of the traffic study referenced in December 2024, or the formal start of it?

-If it marks the start, what explains the more than one-year gap between public announcement and signing?

- If the study was completed, why have its findings, timelines, and recommendations not been disclosed?

- If the study is still to be conducted, what are the specific deliverables, timelines, and decision points the public should expect from it?

If the Letter of Intent is indeed the starting point of work first announced in December 2024, then the timeline suggests a prolonged period between intention and execution. Absent a clear explanation, such a delay risks being interpreted as inaction rather than strategy, particularly on an issue that has only intensified with time.

If, on the other hand, the study was already conducted during the intervening period, then transparency requires that its findings be shared. To date, no traffic analysis, recommendations, timelines, or implementation framework have been made public to demonstrate that such preparatory work took place.

What further complicates matters is that both announcements, despite being more than a year apart, were framed as progress. Yet progress, by definition, implies movement from one stage to the next. Without clarity on which stage we are actually in, repeated announcements risk creating the appearance of action rather than its substance.

When official public statements consistently require post hoc clarification to reconcile them with timelines and facts, it inevitably raises concerns about whether communication is being used to inform the public or to manage perception.

This is not a semantic debate. Traffic congestion carries tangible costs. Delayed emergency response times, lost productivity, increased fuel consumption, higher operating expenses for businesses, and daily frustration for residents are all real and measurable impacts that demand urgency, not uncertainty.

As a Member of Parliament, I have formally written to the Minister of VROMI seeking clarification on these matters, as I am receiving questions from residents who have been following these developments closely and are struggling to reconcile the narrative being presented with the timeline observed.

St. Maarten does not lack announcements. It suffers from delayed execution. Clear timelines and disclosed deliverables would allow Parliament and the public alike to assess progress on substance rather than announcements. Clear answers at this stage would help restore trust, align expectations with reality, and demonstrate the seriousness of purpose that this issue demands.

Traffic solutions cannot be built on circular messaging. They must be built on clarity, timelines, and results.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) has apprehended a 52-year-old male suspect, identified by the initials R.A.A.R., in connection with arson incidents that took place in the Cole Bay area in January 2025. The arrest occurred on Thursday, January 22, 2026, following an extensive investigation.
The arson incidents on January 15 and 16, 2025, led to the issuance of an arrest warrant. Police officers on patrol in the Sucker Garden area spotted the suspect and detained him without incident.
During a routine safety search at the time of the arrest, officers discovered an object resembling a firearm in the suspect’s possession. The item was promptly confiscated and secured as evidence.
The suspect was transported to the Philipsburg Police Station, where he is currently being held for questioning as the investigation continues.
KPSM has reiterated its commitment to ensuring justice, emphasizing that the passage of time does not hinder their resolve to solve serious crimes. This arrest underscores their dedication to holding offenders accountable, no matter how much time has passed.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) has successfully apprehended and extradited a fugitive suspect involved in a jewelry store robbery that took place on September 5, 2025.

The suspect, J.J.B., a 37-year-old male, fled Sint Maarten immediately after the crime in an attempt to evade justice. However, his escape was short-lived. Through tireless investigative efforts and seamless collaboration with regional law enforcement agencies, KPSM located, arrested, and returned the fugitive to Sint Maarten to face justice.

J.J.B. is currently in custody at the Philipsburg Police Station, where he will remain as the investigation continues.

KPSM extends its gratitude to its regional and international law enforcement partners for their swift action and steadfast cooperation, which were instrumental in securing this arrest. These partnerships are vital in combating cross-border criminal activity.

This arrest sends a clear and powerful message: those who commit crimes in our community and attempt to flee will find no refuge. KPSM and its partners will pursue you relentlessly, across borders and oceans, to ensure justice is served.

The Sint Maarten Police Force remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding our community and holding criminals accountable—wherever they may try to hide.