PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of Justice shares the latest updates on the recovery and stabilization efforts underway at Point Blanche Prison following the incident of May 14, 2025. These efforts continue to prioritize the safety, functionality, and dignity of inmates while progressively restoring essential services.
Fire Safety and Oversight
To ensure short-term and long-term safety, the crisis management team brought a fire safety specialist to assess current conditions and provide expert guidance on fire prevention measures, including smoke and heat detection systems. In addition, two members of the Law Enforcement Council visited the facility. They toured the affected area as part of continued institutional oversight to ensure that recovery actions are appropriate and effective.
Security Systems and Infrastructure
The prison maintenance team inspected all door locks and repaired the necessary ones to ensure full functionality. To further strengthen internal security protocols, ten prison officers received specialized training in operating the scanning machine located at the facility's entrance. Inmates are actively contributing to the recovery process, with scraping work progressing on schedule and painting set to begin later this week. Their involvement supports timely repairs and offers purposeful engagement as rehabilitation programs are being reintroduced.
Staffing Support
Two guards from Aruba have completed their assignments and returned home, while three others from Aruba and two from Curaçao remain on-site to continue supporting operations. Meanwhile, the Marines and the KPSM personnel remain actively deployed at the facility to ensure ongoing operational stability.
Inmate Rights & Privileges
All inmates continue to have daily access to outdoor areas, and those wishing to exercise this right have done so without restriction. While recreational activities were temporarily suspended at the onset of the emergency, a religious service was held over the weekend. Additional activities will begin this week, including gym sessions, music classes, and sewing workshops. The Probation Services has confirmed that a broader range of rehabilitation activities will be made available in the coming weeks. This week, the department head is expected to visit the facility to assess where programming can be most effectively implemented. Due to space limitations following the incident, in-person visits remain temporarily suspended as part of emergency protocols. In response, the prison administration has implemented a telephone call schedule to ensure detainees can stay in contact with their families. This measure was launched last week and will be gradually expanded to ensure all inmates who wish to communicate can do so until in-person visits are safely reinstated. In accordance with Article 32 of the Prison Regulation ('Gevangenismaatregel), inmates' rights and privileges are reviewed every 72 hours, and decisions are made based on the current situation in the facility, progress on the recovery work, and overall stability and safety.
Health Monitoring
The crisis management team has carefully reviewed the most recent health inspection report and taken into account the recommendations, including scheduling further inspections once the recovery efforts are complete. To ensure consistent oversight of hygiene and health conditions in the facility, the team is developing a fixed inspection schedule. The Ministry of Justice strongly urges the public and the media to rely solely on official communications issued by the Ministry. The spread of unverified information can jeopardize emergency operations and erode public trust, particularly during times of crisis. Transparency is a core responsibility, and the Ministry remains fully committed to providing timely, accurate, and verified updates as recovery efforts at Point Blanche Prison continue.
