SINT MAARTEN — Member of Parliament Dimar Labega has welcomed the swift introduction of the unarmed tourist police pilot program by Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling, describing the initiative as a practical and timely step toward strengthening public safety in Sint Maarten.
The MP recently called for a national discussion on the legal framework surrounding self-defense, including the possibility of allowing business owners, homeowners, and private security personnel greater access to firearms.
Communities have been asking for practical and immediate solutions to address crime and improve public safety, and the Ministry of Justice has responded with a concrete initiative,” said MP Labega. A serious and structured national dialogue on modernizing our self-defense framework highlighted the urgency of the challenges we face. While legislative changes of that nature require careful consultation, review, and appropriate safeguards, the swift implementation of this tourist police pilot provides an immediate measure that can be put into action now.
“Visible police presence, accessibility, and the ability to respond quickly are important elements of effective community policing,” the MP said. The objective of this pilot is to establish a dedicated presence in high-traffic areas, increase visibility, provide assistance to residents and visitors, and serve as an additional layer of security while allowing the regular police force to concentrate on more serious and high-risk incidents.
The MP urged colleagues in Parliament and the wider community to give the initiative an opportunity to demonstrate its value rather than dismissing it before the pilot has been properly evaluated.
“We should be willing to support practical measures that can contribute to safer streets while also identifying areas where improvements may be needed,” said MP Labega. Constructive criticism is important, but it should be accompanied by workable alternatives. The priority must be to deliver tangible improvements in public safety today while continuing to develop stronger long-term solutions.”
The MP emphasized that support for the tourist police pilot does not replace the need for broader reforms. Rather, the initiative can form part of a tiered approach to policing, with tourist police officers providing additional visibility and community-level support while fully trained members of the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) remain focused on violent crime, high-risk interventions, and other situations requiring armed police capabilities.
The MP also called on the Ministry to use the pilot period to assess the training, legal, and operational requirements for potentially introducing additional lethal and less-lethal tools in future phases.
Public safety requires action in both the short and long term. We must continue the important discussions and the tourist police pilot is a reasonable first step which deserves the opportunity to be properly implemented, monitored, and evaluated.
