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Sint Maarten hosts Prison Workers Week 2026 and honours six correctional staff
Correctional staff from Sint Maarten, Curaçao, Bonaire and Suriname, with a participant from Aruba, met in Sint Maarten for Prison Workers Week from 5 to 11 October 2026, which was dedicated to six honourees.
By SXM Daily ·
Correctional staff from across the Dutch Caribbean and Suriname gathered in Sint Maarten for Prison Workers Week 2026, held from 5 to 11 October, the Government of Sint Maarten said. The Sint Maarten Prison Workers Activities Club hosted delegations from Curaçao, Bonaire and Suriname, plus a participant from Aruba's correctional institution.
Illustrative: the Methodist Church in Philipsburg, where the Prison Workers Day service was held. Photo: Richie Diesterheft / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
The theme was "It's Time to Shine: Rising Above & Reaching Beyond". The week opened on Monday, 5 October, at the Festival Village with speeches by Justice Minister Nathalie Tackling and Prison Director Steven Carty. President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams attended.
The week was dedicated to six honourees, four serving staff members and two recent retirees: Amparo Sabina-Martina, Marisol Wilson, Julia Ambrosina, Marjonette Reenis-Cathlin, George Adamus and Selvin Williams, as listed by SMN News.
Visitors toured the Point Blanche prison and House of Detention on 7 October, where UNOPS and UNODC representatives presented the new prison project. Shooting, softball and volleyball competitions filled the rest of the week.
Prison Workers Day itself, Saturday 10 October, began with a service at the Methodist Church in Philipsburg attended by Governor Ajamu Baly. Participants then marched through Philipsburg to the Government Administration Building, and the day ended with a ceremony at the Aleeze Convention Center.
The tradition began in Curaçao in 1984. The next edition is planned for October 2027 in another participating country.
Sources
- https://www.sintmaartengov.org/news/Pages/press-release.aspx?slug=prisonworkers-week-2026-concludes-successfully-on-sint-maarten
- https://smn-news.com/index.php/st-maarten-st-martin-news/52038-six-honored-as-st-maarten-hosts-regional-prison-workers-week-2026.html