Last Friday, April 11, and Monday, April 14, several multidisciplinary controls were conducted on Sint Eustatius. The controls were carried out in the hospitality and construction sectors and aimed at raising awareness and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations.
The controls were initiated by the Regional Information and Expertise Center Caribbean Netherlands (RIEC CN), which is committed to strengthening the integrated approach to undermining on the BES islands. Various agencies, including the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force (KPCN), the Caribbean Netherlands Tax Office (BCN), the Supervision & Enforcement department of the Public Entity Sint Eustatius (T&H OLE), and the Immigration and Naturalization Service Caribbean Netherlands (IND CN), collaborated for the controls to ensure compliance with laws and regulations in the hospitality and construction sectors.
During the controls at four hospitality establishments, a staff member without a work permit was found at one location. At one of the two inspected construction sites, the enforcers found eight individuals without valid residence permits. The involved agencies are conducting further investigations into these situations.
The controls are part of a broader approach aimed at raising awareness and strengthening compliance with laws and regulations. The collaborating services indicate that these joint inspections will eventually become a regular occurrence and will be conducted regularly. Entrepreneurs and citizens are encouraged to have their affairs in order and thus contribute to a fair and safe society on Sint Eustatius.
*For undermining criminality, criminals use legal businesses and (government) services for illegal activities. This blurs norms and decreases the sense of safety and livability. This effect is also known as undermining.