Justice for Victims Tackling the Long Wait for Recognition and Compensation St Maarten
Justice for Victims Tackling the Long Wait for Recognition and Compensation
As the June 25 Council of Ministers press briefing came to a close,
Justice Minister Nathalie Tackling faced a question that struck at the heart of many unresolved tragedies.
Drawing from the ongoing Nuto Wawu case—where victims from a 2014 airport shooting in Curaçao are still waiting for compensation—
MP Emil asked how the government intends to strengthen victims’ rights in St. Martin.
The discussion highlighted both legislative progress and bureaucratic delays—but it also revealed the Minister’s plans to deliver real reform.
📜 New Criminal Procedure Code: A Stronger Role for Victims
Minister Tackling’s primary solution lies in pushing forward the long-stalled Criminal Procedure Code—
the Wetboek van Strafvordering. The revised legislation has been stuck in Parliament for several years, but Tackling made it clear:
“There’s a much stronger role for victims in that new law. When we explained it to the Victim Support Services, they were ecstatic.”
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The updated code would give victims a more active voice throughout the justice process, from investigation to sentencing.
Tackling emphasized her hope that political will now exists to pass the reform quickly.
💵 Using the Crime Fund to Help Victims
Another important solution lies in unlocking the Crime Fund, which currently holds over four million guilders.
Under current law, the government cannot use that money to offer advances or compensation to victims—
even in cases where the perpetrator has been convicted.
Tackling confirmed that changes are on the horizon:
“One of the amendments we want to make is reserving a percentage of the Crime Fund for victims.”
This would allow victims to receive advance compensation—
for instance, ƒ5,000 guilders in cases where the perpetrator is sentenced to more than one year in prison.
🚫 But What About Cases Without a Conviction?
MP Emil raised a critical point: what happens when the perpetrator isn’t sentenced to prison but sent to psychiatric treatment instead?
“Then the victim doesn’t get paid,” Emil noted. “So who pays for the funeral?”
Tackling didn’t shy away from the harsh reality.
“Everything in this government is slow,” she admitted. “I wish I had a better answer other than bureaucracy.”
These gaps leave grieving families in limbo for months, often waiting up to eight months for reimbursement—even in the most severe cases.
🤝 Interim Fixes and MOU
While structural changes are in motion, Tackling shared that Victim Support Services has taken its own initiative.
They’re working on an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding)
with all justice stakeholders to streamline victim support ahead of any legal reform.
“That’s one of the reasons we continue to subsidize and support their work,” she added.
⚖️ Final Takeaway: Reform Is Coming, But Victims Still Wait
Minister Tackling is clear-eyed about the challenges. Reforming laws and reallocating funds take time—
but the intention to act is there. By updating the Criminal Procedure Code and amending the Crime Fund Ordinance,
victims in St. Martin could finally see faster recognition, greater support, and timely financial relief.
Until then, the victims—and their families—continue to bear the weight of the justice system’s delays.