Justice Minister removes Checkmate guards from prison

PHILIPSBURG — Checkmate Security Services that manned the towers at the Pointe Blanche Prison for the past 16 years has been removed and replaced by the Voluntary Korps of St. Maarten (VKS). According to the General Manager O’Neal Arrindell he received a letter from the Minister of Justice Cornelius De Weaver advising him that they no longer need Checkmate Security service for the prison since they will be using the VKS to do the work.

The Commander of the Voluntary Korps of St. Maarten Antonio Rogers has confirmed that the VKS has been deployed at the prison for an extended period and would be responsible for some security aspects of the institution. He mentioned that in the past the members of the VKS had manned the prison and as a result it is therefore nothing new for them.

It was only a few weeks ago that some 70 prison guards took the oath of office in the presence of the Justice Minister where they pledged to uphold the integrity of the institution. However, according to sources, although there are about 138 prison guards at the prison only about one third report for duty.

Meanwhile, Arrindell has indicated that he does not know where he went wrong but the 29 Checkmate security guards who had manned the institution for the last 16 years have now been placed at different locations secured by Checkmate Security Services.

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