PHILIPSBURG--Member of Parliament Frans Richardson suggested to Minister Roland Duncan on Thursday that he reaches out to the French side and possibly Anguilla as well to build a joint prison. Richardson said since the Minister is all for joint cooperation, such as immigration officials at the airport, he should take it a step further and propose a joint house of detention, which could save on costs for the taxpayers of St. Maarten.
"The Minister is talking lately about the spirit of cooperation, but this should extend a bit further. I'm sure that the other islands have similar issues with space and cells and would welcome a joint initiative," Richardson said.
He said the French, for example, have had to transport prisoners out in the past. "Let's have the discussion. This is also important for families. When you ship a prisoner out to Holland or where have you, the families have to do what? Purchase tickets to go and see their loved ones? They committed crimes, yes, but they still have families that care. So the Minister should explore all options before committing to millions," Richardson said.
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