MP Lewis asks: Are there no Indian and Chinese merchants involved in money laundering?

GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Lyndon Lewis on Thursday sharply questioned the priorities and performance of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, asking whether money-laundering investigations are being applied evenly across St. Maarten’s multicultural business community while also challenging what he described as the office’s recurring focus on elected and appointed political figures.

Lewis raised the issue during the continuation of Parliament’s urgent meeting with Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling on traffic accidents, road safety and other Justice-related matters. The meeting was originally held July 7 and reconvened September 24. Lewis was one of the MPs who requested the meeting.

At the center of Lewis’ questioning was a question about who ultimately ends up facing prosecution for crimes. Referring to his own visits to Point Blanche Prison, Lewis said the inmates he observed in money-laundering and other matters appeared predominantly Black, prompting him to question whether crime investigations were reaching other sectors of St. Maarten’s diverse commercial community.

Lewis specifically questioned whether authorities were suggesting that there are no Indian or Chinese merchants involved in money laundering while Black defendants continue to appear in the prison system. His comments were framed as questions about enforcement priorities and possible disparities in investigations.

Lewis also criticized what he sees as the Prosecutor’s Office’s ability to devote investigative resources to elected and appointed officials while telling Government, in other areas, that statistics or resources are limited.

He argued that the office appeared unable to readily provide certain statistics requested during the parliamentary meeting, but has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to investigate political figures.

Lewis referred to his own experience of being investigated and said he had repeatedly sought information on the status of that investigation. He also questioned the timing of investigations involving politicians, particularly when elections are approaching.

Lewis also focused on the Financial Intelligence Unit, FIU, describing it as an important part of the Justice system and questioning what happens to financial intelligence cases once they reach the Prosecutor’s Office.

He said he understood that cases were not always being taken forward because of limitations in time and resources, and challenged the Ministry to examine whether potentially significant financial-crime matters were being left without sufficient follow-up.

Under St. Maarten’s framework, the FIU receives and analyzes unusual transaction reports and other information relevant to money laundering and terrorist financing. When its analysis establishes a suspicion of money laundering or terrorist financing, the information is forwarded to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

That division of responsibilities was central to Lewis’ argument. He questioned whether the country was investing sufficient investigative and prosecutorial capacity in financial crimes that may involve businesses and commercial activity across St. Maarten.

Lewis also told Tackling that, regardless of the operational independence of prosecutors, it is the Minister of Justice who must appear before Parliament and answer questions about the functioning of the Justice system.

He urged Tackling to insist on better information and stronger organization, arguing that Parliament requires accurate statistics to develop legislation and determine where resources should be directed.

His comments followed Tackling’s acknowledgment earlier in the meeting that some requested information could not readily be produced because different Justice entities maintain separate registration systems. Among the examples discussed were statistics concerning persons who had been deported while also connected to criminal investigations.

Lewis rejected the idea that basic figures should be unavailable simply because individual case information is confidential. He argued that aggregate statistics, such as the number of persons transferred to immigration authorities, should be maintained without disclosing details of ongoing investigations.

The MP also questioned whether official crime statistics were adequately reflecting what residents believe they are witnessing in the community.

Lewis pointed to widely circulated videos of robberies, fights, assaults and other incidents and said the public frequently sees evidence of criminal and disorderly behavior, while official statistical presentations can suggest a different picture.

He argued that reliable data is essential both for the Minister and Parliament, particularly when determining funding levels, staffing requirements and legislative priorities.

Lewis also cautioned against reductions to Justice budgets, saying agencies including KPSM, Customs, the prison and other services require sufficient resources to function effectively.

His broader argument was that the Prosecutor’s Office, police, FIU and other parts of the Justice chain cannot be considered separately when the country evaluates crime and enforcement. He called on Tackling to examine whether priorities, resources and case selection across the system are producing outcomes that the wider community can understand and have confidence in.