THE HAGUE — Prime Minister Luc Mercelina has asked Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof for temporary military support during his overseas working visit, dossierkoninkrijksrelaties.nl reports. Mercelina made the request because of the brutal robberies and other violent incidents that are plaguing the island.
Mercelina attributes these incidents to organized crime. St. Maarten struggles with the fight against these crimes because the local police force is understaffed.
In his vision, the deployment of soldiers ought to strengthen local authorities in attempts to enforce national and public safety. It is currently unclear whether Schoof will honor the request.
“It is important that our citizens see that we take all necessary measures to guarantee their safety,” Mercelina is quoted as saying.
The prime minister made his request in reaction to a recent robbery at a jewelry store in the center of Maho Village. Four masked robbers smashed a window with hammers and then climbed inside the store to steal jewelry. After the robbery, they fled in a car in the direction of the Lowlands. According to dossierkonikrijksrelaties.nl bystanders made videos while the robbery was underway and then published the images on social media.
Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling labeled the crime as an attack on the constitutional state. “You will be found, you will be prosecuted and you will experience the consequences,” she said in a public statement. “This is not an expression of guts, but it is a crime and this will be stopped.”
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