New Marechaussee Commander visits

Departing Commander of the Royal Dutch Marechaussee in the Dutch Caribbean Lt. Colonel Hans Vroegh and the incoming Commander Lt. Colonel Roland Scheltens visited Saba on Tuesday, June 25.

Island Governor Jonathan Johnson received the Commanders at the Government Administration Building. Scheltens will officially succeed Vroegh per July 1. Vroegh was the Dutch Caribbean Royal Marechaussee Commander for the past three years. Scheltens’ appointment is for three years, but he said that he hopes to stay on in his new function for five years.

Scheltens has been stationed in Curaçao as Commander of the Royal Marechaussee Detective Unit for the past six years. This was his first visit to Saba, and he said he was impressed with the island’s beauty. “The name the Unspoiled Queen is very applicable,” he said.

Scheltens and Vroegh are visiting all six Dutch Caribbean islands. On Monday, June 24, they were in St. Maarten and on Wednesday, June 26, they will be on St. Eustatius. Last week, they paid a visit to authorities in Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. The Commander of the Royal Marechaussee is stationed in Curaçao.

In total, some 180 Marechaussee officers work in the Dutch Caribbean, performing tasks in the area of border control and at the local police forces. Eight Marechaussee officers are stationed on Saba.

GIS Saba.