MP Franklin Meyers tables Amendment to strengthen child protection laws

GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament and Leader of the Soualiga Action Movement (SAM) Franklin Meyers has tabled a legislative amendment aimed at closing loopholes in existing child protection statutes and ensuring stronger justice for victims of sexual abuse. The amendment, presented in May 2025, provides more detailed definitions of sexual abuse acts, categorizes offenses based on the perpetrator’s relationship to the victim, and imposes significantly harsher penalties for offenders.

The law expands the current definition of sexual acts to reflect modern realities and methods used by perpetrators, including acts involving organs other than the penis and vagina. It provides explicit descriptions of the objects and methods used in committing abuse, addressing what Meyers described as “the creative but deeply disturbing ways predators harm children.”

Under the amendment, the maximum penalty for certain offenses would increase from 6–8 years to up to 15 years in prison. Sentencing guidelines will differentiate between offenses committed by family members and those committed by non-relatives, recognizing the heightened breach of trust in cases involving close relations.

Meyers said the impetus for the law was a troubling history of perpetrators evading justice due to technicalities and vague definitions in the law.

“For too long, we have seen cases where abusers walk free or receive minimal sentences because the law’s language was too narrow or outdated. They hide behind technicalities and misinterpretations while the victims live with lifelong scars,” Meyers said. “This amendment makes it crystal clear what constitutes a sexual act against a child."

The changes apply to the existing articles NASR 242, 243, 245, and 247 BW, which were previously synchronized into new laws numbered 1:199–2:200.

Meyers stressed that while no law can undo the harm done to victims, stronger statutes can act as both a tool for justice and a deterrent.

“Child sexual abuse is one of the most heinous crimes imaginable. If we want a safer Sint Maarten, it starts with protecting our children, the future of this country. Clear definitions and tougher penalties send a message: if you commit these acts, you will face the full weight of the law,” he said.

The amendment also serves a preventative function by removing ambiguity from the legal code and signaling that Sint Maarten will not tolerate those who exploit children.

“Our society cannot be one where predators think they can ‘game the system’ or hope for leniency. This is about closing the cracks they’ve been slipping through and making sure justice is served,” Meyers concluded.

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