Sint Maarten | Second Ombudsman appointed

On 17 December 2018 Ms Gwendoline E. Mossel took the oath of office before Parliament. Ms Mossel has officially assumed her post as the country’s second Ombudsman on 1 January 2019. She follows Dr. Rachnilda Arduin, who was honorably discharged on 31 December 2018.

Upon achieving her HAVO diploma at the Milton Peters College, Sint Maarten, Ms. Mossel furthered her education and pursued studies in law at the Radboud University in Nijmegen in the Netherlands.

In 2008, Gwendolien Mossel returned to Sint Maarten and served as Legal Advisor in the Cabinet of the Lieutenant Governor, where she had the privilege of advising on matters pertaining to Immigration law. From 2010 - 2011 she worked as lawyer and acting head at the Immigration & Naturalization Department. Until 2015 Ms Mossel held the position of Policy Coordinator at the Immigration & Border Protection Service. In May 2015 she started her work at the Ombudsman’s Office as Legal Advisor. Two years later, Ms Mossel was appointed substitute Ombudsman, where she saw her role at the Bureau increase incrementally as Legal Advisor and second in command to the Ombudsman.

Parliament unanimously approved the appointment of Ms Mossel as the second Ombudsman of Sint Maarten, effective 1 January 2019, for a term of seven years. Ms Mossel was sworn in as Ombudsman of St. Maarten before the President of Parliament, Sarah Wescot-Williams on 14 December 2018.

As Ombudsman and Guardian of the Constitution, Ms Mossel takes the lead of the Bureau, charged with protecting the rights of the people and ensuring every complaint is investigated in a fair, transparent, and impartial manner.

Ms Mossel will continue to advance awareness of the role of the Ombudsman and the pivotal stake the Bureau holds in its work of collaborating with government to promote good governance in the interest of all.

Source: Office of the Ombudsman, Sint Maarten