No agreement on inmates’
release dates, says lawyer
PHILIPSBURG--Reports that the Pointe Blanche Inmates Association had reached an agreement with the Government of the Netherlands Antilles concerning prisoners’ release dates were “premature,” said attorney-at-law Monique Hofman on Sunday.
Hofman, who is the legal representative of the Inmates Association, said she had had “a good conversation” out of court with the legal representative of the Central Government in this matter, attorney-at-law Jairo Bloem. Chef de Poste of the Prosecutor’s Office Taco Stein was also present during these talks concerning the early release of prisoners from the Pointe Blanche prison. These talks were held on Thursday, Hofman said.
“Things are looking good, but it is too early to say that an agreement has been reached. First, I will have to inform the Inmates Association about the outcome of Thursday’s meeting, which will happen on Monday (today), while the Central Government will also have to be informed.”
Hofman further explained that once the inmates and the Central Government had given the green light, a draft agreement would be put on paper, a process that would not be finalised before next week Tuesday or Wednesday.
Hofman said the judge had allowed the parties two weeks to come to a settlement.
The inmates started court proceedings last month in a bid for treatment equal to that of inmates in Bon Futuro Prison in Curaçao.
The inmates were displeased with the way the authorities were dealing with their release dates. Other demands concerned the availability of a psychologist, a psychiatrist, and a medical doctor; payment of electricity; and complaints about old bathroom facilities and a lack of rehabilitation facilities.
