PHILIPSBURG-The Soualiga Action Movement (SAM) party has nominated attorney-at-law Nathalie Tackling for the role of Minister of Justice as the screening process for the new governing coalition progresses following the August 19 Snap Parliamentary Elections.
SAM forms part of a four-party coalition who signed a coalition accord last Friday along with the Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM), the Democratic Party (DP) and the Party for Progress (PFP).
Following her acceptance of the offer, news of Tackling’s nomination is already gaining traction and praise in the community since she has been touted as a consummate professional.
Nathalie Tackling is the current head of the Central Voting Bureau (CVM) which holds responsibility for organizing and executing elections in St. Maarten.
The SAM said that the decision to offer the post of Justice Minister to Tackling instead of one of its party candidates who contested the election is a historic step that reflects its commitment to transparency and professionalism.
Party leader, MP Elect Franklyn Meyers said, “we have chosen a candidate with a strong background in the justice field…Our role in the Parliament is to ensure that the laws and policies of the country reflect the will and needs of the people. In government, ministers are tasked with the execution of those laws, and SAM stands ready to oversee this process. By putting forth Ms. Tackling, we aim to strengthen the Ministry of Justice and contribute meaningfully to our country’s progress.”
According to the Daily Herald, when asked what prompted her to take up the challenge, Tackling said her decision had been “multi-faceted,” but that “it feels like the right time to be able to serve the country and make a difference.” Tackling said she is “honoured at the opportunity and consideration from the party and was certainly unexpected on my part, but it feels like the right thing to do.”
According to Tackling’s LinkedIn Profile, the St. Maarten native has an extensive background in corporate and legislative law, and is versed in Dutch, European and US law. She obtained an LL.M. in Trade and Corporate Law from University of Maastricht (Netherlands) and an LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law from George Washington University School of Law in Washington D.C. Her coursework and final thesis focused on biotechnology patents and how to fit human genes and DNA into the existing framework of intellectual property.
On her return to St. Maarten, Tackling started her career as a civil law litigator at a local firm. The following year, she joined the Corporate and Banking Unit of VanEps Kunneman VanDoorne, contributing her expertise to key cases on the Dutch Caribbean islands.
Since leaving the firm in 2016, she worked as a Legal Advisor at Raad van Advies (Council of Advice), one of the High Councils of State on St. Maarten. Her work there centered on providing professional feedback to the local government and Parliament on draft legislation, including drafting legislative advices and providing legal assistance on constitutional matters.
In addition to her work at the Council of Advice, one of her proud moments has been establishing the Saba Legal Aid Desk, which provides free legal advice to Saba residents, the first of its sort in the Dutch Caribbean.
Tackling founded Tackling Law in April 2019 and hopes to contribute her public and private sector experience to the community through a firm structured to provide service that optimizes the social and economic environment in the best interest of its clients.
If her nomination to the Council of Ministers is approved, Tackling will join Dr. Luc Mercelina who will retain the role of Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of TEATT Grisha Heyliger-Marten, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Richinel Brug, Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Melissa Gumbs, Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Patrice Gumbs and drs. Gracita Arrindell as Minister Plenipotentiary.
The deadline to submit the final report on all candidate Ministers to be sworn in after the screening process is on November 15th, 2024.
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