The Hague – The Kingdom cannot stand in the way of Sint Maarten’s independence. That is “unwritten Kingdom law”, State Secretary Raymond Knops writes to the Lower House in response to questions from VVD and SP about the complaint that the States of Sint Maarten have filed with the United Nations against the Netherlands. Sint Maarten can unilaterally determine that the country leaves the Kingdom, says Knops. The other countries will have to agree to changes to the Statute and independence will have to be achieved “in a manner surrounded by sufficient democratic guarantees.” The minister cannot answer the question when the talks can start, because this is not the case and it is not up to him anyway. He will not take the lead. The answers to the other questions from MPs André Bosman (VVD) and Ronald van Raak (SP) reveal a shared irritation about the petition submitted by Parliament. Whether the government of Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs supports the petition, Knops says he does not know. He has asked for clarification about this. “To my knowledge, the government of Sint Maarten has expressed no support for this petition.” The petition was not submitted on behalf of the other islands. Any suggestion of neo-colonialism towards Sint Maarten or repression of the democratically elected government by “a neo-colonial authority” (meaning Coho) Knops rejects. “The Coho aims precisely to support Sint Maarten in implementing reforms of an administrative nature, realizing sustainable, sustainable public finances and strengthening the resilience of the economy, including the embedding of the rule of law that is necessary for this. ” There is also no racial inequality in the treatment of the different populations in the Kingdom. Each country has autonomy and its own “constitutional order” and responsibilities. “The economic situation in the different countries is different. This can lead to differences in the economic position of citizens within the Kingdom. ” Sint Maarten’s financial problems are not only caused by hurricane Irma and the corona pandemic, Knops confirms. The standards in the Financial Supervision Act have not been observed for some time. He points to the concerns the IMF has “regularly” expressed about the rising debt ratio. That is why supervision is necessary and extended. Regarding the obligation to run loans through the Netherlands, Knops says this is only beneficial. The liquidity support is a loan at 0 percent. “On the other hand, if Sint Maarten had had to raise loans on its own on the international capital market, the interest costs of the country would have been much higher, which would have led to a higher national debt.” The outgoing State Secretary does acknowledge that reconstruction after hurricane Irma, for which the Netherlands has made 550 million euros available, has started slowly. But in the meantime it has gotten underway. “Trust fund spending more than tripled from $ 21 million to $ 68 million between the end of 2019 and the end of 2020. In addition, about $ 67 million of direct aid has been spent on reconstruction activities. ” https://antilliaansdagblad.com/sint-maarten/23315-onafhankelijkheid-niet-in-de-weg-staan
The Court in the First Instance on March 18, 2021, sentenced A.S.R. in absentia to 18 years imprisonment for manslaughter in the shooting death of C.F. and the attempted manslaughter of R.R. on March 18, 2014, in Dutch Quarter. The shooter was tried in absentia, because he is imprisoned in the Commonwealth of Dominica for armed robbery.
This verdict means that A.S.R., a French citizen, will be arrested and imprisoned should he return to Sint Maarten after completing his sentence(s) in Dominica.
A.S.R. was tried in absentia after several attempts were made by the Prosecutor’s Office OM SXM to have him extradited to Sint Maarten. Dominica could not comply with the request, because there exists no extradition treaty between the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Sint Maarten) and the Commonwealth of Dominica. And, A.S.R. refused to be transported to Sint Maarten to stand trial in person.
C.F. was shot multiple times while sitting in a car in Dutch Quarter. The shots were allegedly aimed at her boyfriend R.R. After the shooting, the shooter and his (then) co-suspects went into hiding, fled the country and turned up on Dominica, where they immediately committed an armed robbery on a jeweler for which they are still detained on that island.
OM SXM sees the sentence in this violent crime as reinforcement that criminals who believe fleeing the country to escape justice are very misguided in their assumption.
The sentence of 18 years, issued on March 18, 2021, for the crimes committed on March 18, 2014, is justice served. However, OM SXM understands that the sentence cannot erase the profound loss of the C.F.’s family, but hopes it will aid with closure.
FACT: Being forced to take sides in this fight between the St Maarten government and the Netherlands, for St Maarteners like me is like being forced to choose between eating trash or swallowing garbage.🤷🏿♀️ Quite frankly that’s how most people feel, but Dutch Sint Maarteners stay quiet.
Has anyone in St Maarten, other than these St Maarten politicians and myself, actually read this ‘Independence Petition’? I just did…most of it, and I find it very difficult to believe that it was written by adults with functional brains. Adults who are SUPPOSED to be the elite, the well educated so called leaders of our country. I will spare you the time and embarrassment of reading the entire petition, because life is too short for their continuous bullsht. I will detail the ‘Racism Petition’ in a nutshell, but first allow me, my personal opinion, just a little bit of conjecture….. OPINION: Dutch St Maarten politicians either have a compulsion to steal or they are cursed… In St Maarten they call any compulsive action a ‘curse’. If you are a kleptomaniac like Frans Richardson, they’ll say in St Maarten, that you’re cursed. If you are a nymphomaniac like 🤫 you know who…they will that is a ‘curse’.
I used to get headaches trying to figure St Maarten politicians out. So I had to stop. You probably should too.
FACT: Patrick arrested, Silvio arrested, Mingo arrested, Corallo arrested, Frans arrested…… The list goes on and on and on.
CONJECTURE: Your husband, the leader of the St Maarten government is in jail. He was just arrested the day BEFORE, on Federal Charges by Dutch agents, who flew as a team in from the Netherlands… JUST to arrest your husband’s off-White ass. His arrest is about corruption and criminal activities, but the list of charges is so long, you would think that your husband was the Unabomber or a member of ISIS. Yet, it seems….Your number #1 priority while your husband is in jail, the day after his arrest, is meeting up with known organized crime figures? At their HOME? To let them know that …. Your husband might be in jail, but the bribes won’t pay themselves, so that is the least of your concerns. It’s just business as usual… And by the way… if you gift us that prime piece of property to conduct some more illicit business, then we won’t even mention your name to the RST investigators? Explain the above reasoning to me, because I still don’t get it. The logic, the stupidity, the greed… I just don’t get it. What is your I.Q., when you are congratulating your own genius, because you are so smart to delete everything. Well… What about the person that you are sending incriminating messages to, don’t you think they would save your messages… just in case🤔
FLASHBACK: Back in the day I worked as a cashier at Food Center which is now called Carrefoure, at age 14. 1988…Slave labor! They paid us five guilders per hour to put up with all that sht….so of course, we were robbing them blind. However, when the Supervisor Merlyn would tell us that the big bosses and managers were coming to St Maarten from Holland, which they did once or so per year, to observe, audit, inspect…. We would STOP blatantly stealing. For at least 2 weeks or so. Why? Because we did not want to get caught. That is the simple reason why. We were on our best behaviour for like two weeks out of the year, until when they were on that KLM flight, back to Holland. We were TEENAGERS, 14, 15, 16 but we knew who not to fck with. One wrong move with upper management and you were fired. If they caught us stealing there was no warning, we were going to jail. We weren’t even allowed to take tips, because we were told tips could lead to bribes. Now….We knew that nobody was robbing Food Center more than their Euro-Dutch management. We were 14 and but we already knew the game…
Soooo what is your issue when you are TOLD that you are under investigation, under surveillance, being wire tapped and traced, yet you CONTINUE to steal? Your man is supposed to be St Maarten’s Government leader, but while he is under arrest, he sends you, a current Member of Parliament to collect bribes and favors from organized crime? Has veteran Parliamentarian, Sarah Wescot Williams ever degraded or lowered herself to be caught dead at a casino accepting bribes??? Hell to the NO! That is what Andy is for!!! And that is why Grisha, they haven’t caught Sarah in 40 years, but they WILL catch you. And you have been in government for how many months? There is a reason why Theo has a lengthy jail sentence coming up, but you are not smart enough to figure it out. Sarah Wescot Williams invested in a nice pair of gloves named ‘Andy Wescot,’ years ago…so her hands ALWAYS stay clean. You on the other hand, allowed yourself to be your husbands gloves. YOU were the gloves.
THESE are the people behind this St Maarten Petition, y’all! They claim they want freedom from tyranny and oppression, but what they really want is freedom from prison and $17 Million restitution.
If you cannot see that, log off the internet, and go back to school. How can I support the adults that wrote it, when I had a better understanding of life and reality at age 14, than they do at now at age 50??? And they seem to only be getting worse. Now they filed a petition for independence, because they believe that a petition will make Holland and all criminal charges against them magically disappear. Now let’s get to this so called petition.. 1) They said Holland was hindering St Maarten by co- signing on their loans…HINDERING!!!! That is like an 18 Year old complaining that his parents are holding him back by co signing on his car loan. HE CANNOT GET THE LOAN WITHOUT HIS PARENTS BECAUSE HIS CREDIT IS SHT! St Maarten cannot get a loan on it’s own because St Maarten’s credit is SHT! Who would loan money to St Maarten, when they NEVER pay Holland back? That’s how St Maarteners are. They befriend you, beg money from you, when you need it back, they’re gone. Then knowing that they owe you money, rather than doing the right thing and paying back the ONE person who helped them in need. They will launch a preemptive strike, put your name on the road, slander you, become your worst enemy, just so they don’t have to pay you back the ten bucks that they borrowed.
Welcome to St Maarten! The Friendly Island. Friendly until we owe you money, and you want it back. THESE MACOS, are representing St Maarten on a World wide stage… Against the St Maarten people’s will, mind you… They appointed themselves. It’s like me flying to Washington D.C. and appointing myself Senator.
I was reading Knops response from today… he says that he’s looking for Silveria, to find out if she has a role in this ‘SXM Gray Revolution’.
Oh the irony! Remember when Knops hung up the phone on Silveria last year? Now he is trying to reach her, he wouldn’t reach me. Holland needs to go Sucker Garden, pay some of those Rude Boys to get some 2by4’s and collect the money for them. You know When in Rome…..
If you are nice and polite in SXM, you will NEVER get your money, but they WILL call you names.
In other countries, if your IQ is under 100 you are classified as a Moron. Google it. No one with an IQ above 100 would have written that BULLSHT petition that I read. It goes a lil something like this….
Dear Holland, we want independence from your tyranny because your billions in assistance and cosigning on our loans is hurting and hindering our development. We have shit credit and nobody will loan us or co-sign for us except you, because the world has seen how we treat people, who help us in need. And we believe in NEVER paying people back.
Sooooooo…We really, really want full independence from your Dutch European tyranny and oppression, but we would LOVE to hold on to our Dutch European passports, perks, fringe benefits and rights, social insurance, pensions and you know, the works… We would also like to hold on to the billions you loaned us at low to zero interest rates, without any intention of repayment.
Also, before we forget…MORE MONEY PLEASE! We would prefer that in Euros please, not our Antillian guilders, we heard it’s unstable and about to crash. One last thing…. more funding and loans, no questions asked. Running these rackets can get expensive. Of course we will call it a Grant or loan, our little inside joke, because you know St Maarteners consider your loans to be gifts and they will NEVER pay it back. I got a lot more to say about this, but I have priorities. If I feel like it.🤭
Answers to parliamentary questions about petition and financial support for Sint Maarten State Secretary Knops answers questions about the petition from and financial support to Sint Maarten. THE HAGUE Date March 18, 2021 Regards Answers to parliamentary questions I hereby offer you the answers to the written questions that have been asked by the member Bosman (VVD) about the petition of Sint Maarten and by the member Van Raak about the financial support to Sint Maarten. Since both sets of written questions relate to a petition submitted to the United Nations by the States of Sint Maarten, I will answer these questions in one letter. The questions were submitted on March 12, with reference 2021Z04516 and 2021Z04529.
Questions from the member Bosman (VVD) to the State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations about the petition of Saint Maarten
Are you familiar with “PETITION PRESENTED TO: THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON CONTEMPORARY FORMS OF RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, XENOPHOBIA AND RELATED INTOLERANCE AND THE WORKING GROUP OF EXPERTS ON PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT ON EXCEPT OF THE PARLIAMENT AND CITIZENS OF SINT MAARTEN ”of 9 March 2021?
Yes.
Is this petition also on behalf of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius?
No.
Is this petition also on behalf of Aruba and Curaçao?
No.
Has the accusation that “the Netherlands failed in its obligation to promote self-government” also been discussed in the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom? If so, when?
No.
Have the above allegations been discussed in other consultations? If so, where?
This has not been discussed in meetings where I was present.
Has the government of Sint Maarten expressed support for this petition? If so, when? If not, why not?
To my knowledge, the government of Sint Maarten has expressed no support for this petition. Whether or not she supports this petition is therefore unknown to me. I have requested clarification about this from the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten.
Have you taken note of the fact that the petition speaks of “the ousting of a democratically elected government by a neo-colonial fiscal authority”? If so, does this displacement take place? If so, can you indicate where this displacement takes place?
Yes, I have read this. However, I absolutely do not agree with the petition of the Caribbean Body for Reform and Development (COHO) as a “neo-colonial fiscal authority” that is supplanting a democratically elected government. The COHO is not created to supplant a democratically elected government. The COHO specifically aims to support Sint Maarten in implementing reforms of an administrative nature, realizing sustainable, sustainable public finances and strengthening the resilience of the economy, including the rule of law embedding that is necessary for this. A resilient economy is unfortunately not available due to the years of lack of necessary reforms, as a result of which the consequences of the Covid 19 pandemic have hit the countries hard.
Have you taken note of the statement in the petition that “(a) though precise statistics on race are not readily available for the islands and the Netherlands, it is clear that on the aggregate level, the Kingdom’s treatment of the overwhelmingly white population of the Netherlands is far superior than its treatment of the people of African descent and other racial and ethnic minorities that comprise the considerable majority of the three Caribbean islands ”? Do you recognize yourself in this statement? What decisions by the Kingdom would indicate that treatment would be different?
I have taken note of this and do not recognize myself in this statement. Since October 10, 2010, Sint Maarten and Curaçao have been autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands with their own constitutional order and their own responsibilities. Aruba has had this status for some time. The economic situation in the different countries is different. This can lead to differences in the economic position of citizens within the Kingdom. That has nothing to do with racial inequality.
Is it true that the country of Sint Maarten voluntarily agreed to external financial supervision for Sint Maarten on October 10, 2010 when it accepted the autonomy?
Yes. This external supervision is regulated in the Curaçao and Sint Maarten Financial Supervision Act, a consensus kingdom act on the basis of Article 38, second paragraph, of the Statute.
Is it true that Sint Maarten’s financial problems stem from the 2017 hurricanes and the corona pandemic, as the petitioners state, or have the financial problems been there for much longer? If that problems have been around for some time, what does that show?
Sint Maarten has had financial problems for some time. This is evident, for example, from the report of the evaluation committee on the Financial Supervision Act of Curaçao and Sint Maarten from 2018. The evaluation committee concludes in this report that Sint Maarten did not meet the financial standards set out in Article 15 of the Rft in the period 2015 – 2017 (before hurricane Irma) and that therefore the financial supervision of Sint Maarten cannot be terminated. The evaluation committee writes, among other things, that Sint Maarten is struggling with payment arrears and increasing budget deficits and that the public finances are of a worrisome level. Since the country’s autonomous status in 2010, the IMF has also regularly drawn attention to the rising debt ratio. These problems do not stem from the hurricanes or the corona pandemic. In the period from 10-10-10 until hurricane Irma, Sint Maarten has not achieved any results in improving the country’s financial and economic situation.
What about tax collection on Sint Maarten? How many hotels, businesses and wealthy residents get a tax cut, or pay no tax at all, on Sint Maarten?
As an autonomous country, Sint Maarten has its own tax laws on the basis of which the Sint Maarten Tax and Customs Administration levies and collects tax. Any special regimes that apply to hotels, businesses or wealthy residents are a matter for the country itself and I am therefore not aware of this. In the context of measure C.1 of the national package, the current tax system will be examined. If there are special regimes, this will be apparent from this.
What is the cause of the slow disbursement of the 550 million euros made available by the Netherlands in the context of the reconstruction of Sint Maarten after Hurricane Irma?
In the past three years, work has been carried out on (the preparation of) various projects. Although reconstruction has also started slowly in my opinion, many projects have now made the switch from preparation to implementation.
Currently, there are nine projects in progress and five projects in preparation, totaling $ 376.4 million. Trust fund spending more than tripled from $ 21 million to $ 68 million between the end of 2019 and the end of 2020. In addition, approximately € 67 million was spent on reconstruction activities from direct aid. I expect the annual report for 2020 from the World Bank shortly, which I will share with the House of Representatives shortly. This report also discusses delaying factors in more detail.
Have you taken note of the fact that the providers of the petition accuse the Kingdom of Sint Maarten not being able to take out a loan itself with an external financier and that Sint Maarten is becoming more indebted due to financing by the Dutch government? Is that right?
In the context of meeting the current liquidity requirement, the Kingdom Council of Ministers has decided that if Sint Maarten would like to take out a loan on the domestic market for the regular service, this must be submitted to the Council of Ministers. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Sint Maarten could borrow from external financiers if the offer from the external financiers was equal to or more favorable than the offer from the Netherlands. In practice, however, it appears that the offer from the Netherlands is always the most favorable, because in this way Sint Maarten can use the credit rating of the Netherlands.
In the context of the liquidity support, Sint Maarten borrows from the Netherlands at 0% interest. If, on the other hand, Sint Maarten had had to raise loans on its own on the international capital market, the country’s interest charges would have been much higher, which would have led to higher national debt.
Who is responsible for the fight against poverty and social affairs on Sint Maarten? What can the Netherlands be blamed for with regard to the differences in support in the social domain in relation to Sint Maarten?
Since October 10, 2010, Sint Maarten has been an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten has been given its own responsibility for, among other things, poverty reduction and social affairs. Within the country of Sint Maarten, the Sint Maarten Ministry of Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA) is responsible for poverty reduction and social affairs. The Netherlands therefore does not bear any responsibility for this.
Have you taken note of the fact that the petitioners accuse the Netherlands and the Kingdom of not doing anything about the prison of Sint Maarten? Under whose responsibility does Sint Maarten prison fall?
Yes, I have taken note of this. Since Sint Maarten has become an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sint Maarten has been given its own responsibility for law enforcement, including the prison system. Gelhe government shows its willingness to support Sint Maarten with regard to the persistent problems in the prison system, which I explained in the response to the written consultation on Sint Maarten of 11 February 2021.
What do you think of the accusations of racism, colonialism and discrimination that run throughout the play in the direction of the Netherlands and the Kingdom?
Racism, colonialism and discrimination are serious wrongs. I absolutely do not recognize the accusations made towards the Netherlands and the Kingdom in this regard.
Do you remember answers to the parliamentary questions about the decolonization process of the former Netherlands Antilles, from which it appears that the countries already had full self-government on the basis of Article 73 of the UN Charter when they adopted the Statute? What other form of full self-government does Sint Maarten want?
Yes, I remember those answers. I am not aware of what form of self-government the States of Sint Maarten require other than the current autonomy enshrined in the Statute of the Kingdom. As far as I know, the States have not yet spoken about this. The ultimate form of self-government is independence. As can also be seen from the answers referred to, Sint Maarten cannot unilaterally opt for such a different form of self-government. The cooperation and consent of the other Kingdom countries are required for the realization of a change in political relations within the legal order of the Kingdom.
If Sint Maarten wanted to become independent, are there any objections from the Kingdom or the countries within the Kingdom? If so, what are those objections?
If Sint Maarten wishes to become independent, the Kingdom must comply with that wish. On the basis of unwritten Kingdom law, the country has the right to determine unilaterally to leave the legal order of the Kingdom. The choice for independence must be made in a manner surrounded by sufficient democratic guarantees. The implementation of such a (unilateral) decision will have to take place in agreement with the other countries of the Kingdom. However, this implementation, which will require amendment of the Statute, cannot prevent the achievement of independence.
When could talks take place regarding the independence of Sint Maarten? Are you prepared to take the lead for such a conversation in response to the widely supported petition from the States of Sint Maarten?
The question of when to start talks about independence with Sint Maarten is not an issue and in any case not for me. It follows from the nature of the matter that the initiative for this should lie with Sint Maarten itself. I am therefore not prepared to take the lead in this. 2021Z04529
Questions from Member Van Raak (SP) to the Secretary of State for the Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations about the financial support to Sint Maarten
Do you share the view of the majority of politicians in Sint Maarten that the large financial support for the inhabitants of the island is a form of oppression, racism and colonialism?
Oppression, racism, colonialism are serious wrongs. I absolutely do not share this view. The Netherlands supports Sint Maarten and the other countries within the Kingdom in the context of the consequences of the global crisis that arose as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This support is both financial and material and, in addition to budget support, includes the provision of medical personnel, medical supplies and food aid to those most affected by this crisis.
Do you share the concern that these investments are only possible for the residents of Sint Maarten if there is sufficient support from local politicians?
Yes, I share this concern. The cooperation process that the Netherlands and Sint Maarten have entered into with each other will only have a chance of success if all parties involved are prepared to give their fullest effort to this end. The continued support of both the entire government and the States is therefore necessary for the continuation of this process.
Are you prepared to suspend the support and first enter into talks with the Parliament of Sint Maarten to see whether the plans for support are still feasible in the current situation?
I hope it will not have to come to the suspension of much-needed support for the citizens of Sint Maarten. Nevertheless, as my answer to the previous question shows, I share the view that political support is necessary in order to continue on this path. Now it has emerged from the petition that a majority of the Parliament of Sint Maarten – unlike in December by written statement – is rejecting the COHO bill and therelated country package, I note that the required consensus on the part of Sint Maarten is in danger of being lost in the proposal. This also puts the national package between them at risk. I have asked the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten for clarification and a written reconfirmation of the previously expressed support for this process from both her government and Parliament. As long as these statements are not made, it is possible to suspend the aid.
Are you willing to ask the government of Sint Maarten to quickly organize a referendum on the proposal to become independent?
What possibilities do you see for organizing a form of plebiscite on Sint Maarten and to gauge the opinion of the population?
As also answered to questions 18 and 19 by Member Bosman, it is not up to me to initiate a process towards the independence of Sint Maarten. It follows from the nature of the matter that the initiative for this must come from Sint Maarten itself. The choice to leave the Kingdom is the most essential political decision that a Caribbean country or island can make. Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba determine this unilaterally; that is to say, on the basis of unwritten Kingdom law, this decision does not require the consent of the Netherlands, which is therefore reticent to adopt it.
Answers to parliamentary questions about petition and financial support for Sint Maarten State Secretary Knops answers questions about the petition from and financial support to Sint Maarten. THE HAGUE Date March 18, 2021 Regards Answers to parliamentary questions I hereby offer you the answers to the written questions that have been asked by the member Bosman (VVD) about the petition of Sint Maarten and by the member Van Raak about the financial support to Sint Maarten. Since both sets of written questions relate to a petition submitted to the United Nations by the States of Sint Maarten, I will answer these questions in one letter. The questions were submitted on March 12, with reference 2021Z04516 and 2021Z04529.
Questions from the member Bosman (VVD) to the State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations about the petition of Saint Maarten
Are you familiar with “PETITION PRESENTED TO: THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON CONTEMPORARY FORMS OF RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, XENOPHOBIA AND RELATED INTOLERANCE AND THE WORKING GROUP OF EXPERTS ON PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT ON EXCEPT OF THE PARLIAMENT AND CITIZENS OF SINT MAARTEN ”of 9 March 2021?
Yes.
Is this petition also on behalf of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius?
No.
Is this petition also on behalf of Aruba and Curaçao?
No.
Has the accusation that “the Netherlands failed in its obligation to promote self-government” also been discussed in the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom? If so, when?
No.
Have the above allegations been discussed in other consultations? If so, where?
This has not been discussed in meetings where I was present.
Has the government of Sint Maarten expressed support for this petition? If so, when? If not, why not?
To my knowledge, the government of Sint Maarten has expressed no support for this petition. Whether or not she supports this petition is therefore unknown to me. I have requested clarification about this from the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten.
Have you taken note of the fact that the petition speaks of “the ousting of a democratically elected government by a neo-colonial fiscal authority”? If so, does this displacement take place? If so, can you indicate where this displacement takes place?
Yes, I have read this. However, I absolutely do not agree with the petition of the Caribbean Body for Reform and Development (COHO) as a “neo-colonial fiscal authority” that is supplanting a democratically elected government. The COHO is not created to supplant a democratically elected government. The COHO specifically aims to support Sint Maarten in implementing reforms of an administrative nature, realizing sustainable, sustainable public finances and strengthening the resilience of the economy, including the rule of law embedding that is necessary for this. A resilient economy is unfortunately not available due to the years of lack of necessary reforms, as a result of which the consequences of the Covid 19 pandemic have hit the countries hard.
Have you taken note of the statement in the petition that “(a) though precise statistics on race are not readily available for the islands and the Netherlands, it is clear that on the aggregate level, the Kingdom’s treatment of the overwhelmingly white population of the Netherlands is far superior than its treatment of the people of African descent and other racial and ethnic minorities that comprise the considerable majority of the three Caribbean islands ”? Do you recognize yourself in this statement? What decisions by the Kingdom would indicate that treatment would be different?
I have taken note of this and do not recognize myself in this statement. Since October 10, 2010, Sint Maarten and Curaçao have been autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands with their own constitutional order and their own responsibilities. Aruba has had this status for some time. The economic situation in the different countries is different. This can lead to differences in the economic position of citizens within the Kingdom. That has nothing to do with racial inequality.
Is it true that the country of Sint Maarten voluntarily agreed to external financial supervision for Sint Maarten on October 10, 2010 when it accepted the autonomy?
Yes. This external supervision is regulated in the Curaçao and Sint Maarten Financial Supervision Act, a consensus kingdom act on the basis of Article 38, second paragraph, of the Statute.
Is it true that Sint Maarten’s financial problems stem from the 2017 hurricanes and the corona pandemic, as the petitioners state, or have the financial problems been there for much longer? If that problems have been around for some time, what does that show?
Sint Maarten has had financial problems for some time. This is evident, for example, from the report of the evaluation committee on the Financial Supervision Act of Curaçao and Sint Maarten from 2018. The evaluation committee concludes in this report that Sint Maarten did not meet the financial standards set out in Article 15 of the Rft in the period 2015 – 2017 (before hurricane Irma) and that therefore the financial supervision of Sint Maarten cannot be terminated. The evaluation committee writes, among other things, that Sint Maarten is struggling with payment arrears and increasing budget deficits and that the public finances are of a worrisome level. Since the country’s autonomous status in 2010, the IMF has also regularly drawn attention to the rising debt ratio. These problems do not stem from the hurricanes or the corona pandemic. In the period from 10-10-10 until hurricane Irma, Sint Maarten has not achieved any results in improving the country’s financial and economic situation.
What about tax collection on Sint Maarten? How many hotels, businesses and wealthy residents get a tax cut, or pay no tax at all, on Sint Maarten?
As an autonomous country, Sint Maarten has its own tax laws on the basis of which the Sint Maarten Tax and Customs Administration levies and collects tax. Any special regimes that apply to hotels, businesses or wealthy residents are a matter for the country itself and I am therefore not aware of this. In the context of measure C.1 of the national package, the current tax system will be examined. If there are special regimes, this will be apparent from this.
What is the cause of the slow disbursement of the 550 million euros made available by the Netherlands in the context of the reconstruction of Sint Maarten after Hurricane Irma?
In the past three years, work has been carried out on (the preparation of) various projects. Although reconstruction has also started slowly in my opinion, many projects have now made the switch from preparation to implementation.
Currently, there are nine projects in progress and five projects in preparation, totaling $ 376.4 million. Trust fund spending more than tripled from $ 21 million to $ 68 million between the end of 2019 and the end of 2020. In addition, approximately € 67 million was spent on reconstruction activities from direct aid. I expect the annual report for 2020 from the World Bank shortly, which I will share with the House of Representatives shortly. This report also discusses delaying factors in more detail.
Have you taken note of the fact that the providers of the petition accuse the Kingdom of Sint Maarten not being able to take out a loan itself with an external financier and that Sint Maarten is becoming more indebted due to financing by the Dutch government? Is that right?
In the context of meeting the current liquidity requirement, the Kingdom Council of Ministers has decided that if Sint Maarten would like to take out a loan on the domestic market for the regular service, this must be submitted to the Council of Ministers. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Sint Maarten could borrow from external financiers if the offer from the external financiers was equal to or more favorable than the offer from the Netherlands. In practice, however, it appears that the offer from the Netherlands is always the most favorable, because in this way Sint Maarten can use the credit rating of the Netherlands.
In the context of the liquidity support, Sint Maarten borrows from the Netherlands at 0% interest. If, on the other hand, Sint Maarten had had to raise loans on its own on the international capital market, the country’s interest charges would have been much higher, which would have led to higher national debt.
Who is responsible for the fight against poverty and social affairs on Sint Maarten? What can the Netherlands be blamed for with regard to the differences in support in the social domain in relation to Sint Maarten?
Since October 10, 2010, Sint Maarten has been an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten has been given its own responsibility for, among other things, poverty reduction and social affairs. Within the country of Sint Maarten, the Sint Maarten Ministry of Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA) is responsible for poverty reduction and social affairs. The Netherlands therefore does not bear any responsibility for this.
Have you taken note of the fact that the petitioners accuse the Netherlands and the Kingdom of not doing anything about the prison of Sint Maarten? Under whose responsibility does Sint Maarten prison fall?
Yes, I have taken note of this. Since Sint Maarten has become an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sint Maarten has been given its own responsibility for law enforcement, including the prison system. Gelhe government shows its willingness to support Sint Maarten with regard to the persistent problems in the prison system, which I explained in the response to the written consultation on Sint Maarten of 11 February 2021.
What do you think of the accusations of racism, colonialism and discrimination that run throughout the play in the direction of the Netherlands and the Kingdom?
Racism, colonialism and discrimination are serious wrongs. I absolutely do not recognize the accusations made towards the Netherlands and the Kingdom in this regard.
Do you remember answers to the parliamentary questions about the decolonization process of the former Netherlands Antilles, from which it appears that the countries already had full self-government on the basis of Article 73 of the UN Charter when they adopted the Statute? What other form of full self-government does Sint Maarten want?
Yes, I remember those answers. I am not aware of what form of self-government the States of Sint Maarten require other than the current autonomy enshrined in the Statute of the Kingdom. As far as I know, the States have not yet spoken about this. The ultimate form of self-government is independence. As can also be seen from the answers referred to, Sint Maarten cannot unilaterally opt for such a different form of self-government. The cooperation and consent of the other Kingdom countries are required for the realization of a change in political relations within the legal order of the Kingdom.
If Sint Maarten wanted to become independent, are there any objections from the Kingdom or the countries within the Kingdom? If so, what are those objections?
If Sint Maarten wishes to become independent, the Kingdom must comply with that wish. On the basis of unwritten Kingdom law, the country has the right to determine unilaterally to leave the legal order of the Kingdom. The choice for independence must be made in a manner surrounded by sufficient democratic guarantees. The implementation of such a (unilateral) decision will have to take place in agreement with the other countries of the Kingdom. However, this implementation, which will require amendment of the Statute, cannot prevent the achievement of independence.
When could talks take place regarding the independence of Sint Maarten? Are you prepared to take the lead for such a conversation in response to the widely supported petition from the States of Sint Maarten?
The question of when to start talks about independence with Sint Maarten is not an issue and in any case not for me. It follows from the nature of the matter that the initiative for this should lie with Sint Maarten itself. I am therefore not prepared to take the lead in this. 2021Z04529
Questions from Member Van Raak (SP) to the Secretary of State for the Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations about the financial support to Sint Maarten
Do you share the view of the majority of politicians in Sint Maarten that the large financial support for the inhabitants of the island is a form of oppression, racism and colonialism?
Oppression, racism, colonialism are serious wrongs. I absolutely do not share this view. The Netherlands supports Sint Maarten and the other countries within the Kingdom in the context of the consequences of the global crisis that arose as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This support is both financial and material and, in addition to budget support, includes the provision of medical personnel, medical supplies and food aid to those most affected by this crisis.
Do you share the concern that these investments are only possible for the residents of Sint Maarten if there is sufficient support from local politicians?
Yes, I share this concern. The cooperation process that the Netherlands and Sint Maarten have entered into with each other will only have a chance of success if all parties involved are prepared to give their fullest effort to this end. The continued support of both the entire government and the States is therefore necessary for the continuation of this process.
Are you prepared to suspend the support and first enter into talks with the Parliament of Sint Maarten to see whether the plans for support are still feasible in the current situation?
I hope it will not have to come to the suspension of much-needed support for the citizens of Sint Maarten. Nevertheless, as my answer to the previous question shows, I share the view that political support is necessary in order to continue on this path. Now it has emerged from the petition that a majority of the Parliament of Sint Maarten – unlike in December by written statement – is rejecting the COHO bill and therelated country package, I note that the required consensus on the part of Sint Maarten is in danger of being lost in the proposal. This also puts the national package between them at risk. I have asked the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten for clarification and a written reconfirmation of the previously expressed support for this process from both her government and Parliament. As long as these statements are not made, it is possible to suspend the aid.
Are you willing to ask the government of Sint Maarten to quickly organize a referendum on the proposal to become independent?
What possibilities do you see for organizing a form of plebiscite on Sint Maarten and to gauge the opinion of the population?
As also answered to questions 18 and 19 by Member Bosman, it is not up to me to initiate a process towards the independence of Sint Maarten. It follows from the nature of the matter that the initiative for this must come from Sint Maarten itself. The choice to leave the Kingdom is the most essential political decision that a Caribbean country or island can make. Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba determine this unilaterally; that is to say, on the basis of unwritten Kingdom law, this decision does not require the consent of the Netherlands, which is therefore reticent to adopt it.
THE HAGUE – State Secretary Raymond Knops of Kingdom Relations is “unpleasantly surprised” by the complaint that Sint Maarten has submitted to the UN special rapporteur on racism. The parliament of Sint Maarten accuses the Netherlands in a petition of racism and human rights violations. According to the petitioners, the Netherlands is trying to use the corona pandemic to return colonial rule.
The Netherlands has attached conditions to the corona support for Sint Maarten. Reforms need to be implemented and the Caribbean Reform and Development Agency (COHO) has been established for this purpose. Together with the ministries on Sint Maarten, among others, this must work out the reforms in education, administration, justice and the economy, among other things.
The petition, which would be backed by 12 of 15 MPs, calls for scrutiny, documentation and action against alleged racist policies, The Washington Post writes. MEP Grisha Heyliger-Marten says in the paper that “they are trying to take full control of our democracy.”
Complaint Sint Maarten to UN: The Netherlands is racist Knops agrees that there are conditions for the support. But according to him, the government and parliament themselves approved the “cooperation process” at the end of last year. “I have had to conclude that Sint Maarten cannot bear its own autonomy at the moment,” Knops said through his spokesman. He does not want to take away autonomy from the island, but rather “help it to ensure that they can fully bear it in a number of years.” He has asked the government of Sint Maarten for clarification on the petition.
“They have been telling the story for far too long that our people are corrupt and incompetent,” said Heyliger-Marten MP in The Washington Post. According to her, it is just like with Zwarte Piet. “They say it’s not racist, but it is. Just like what they are trying to do to us now. ”
According to the petitioners, racism has affected Dutch policy in the Caribbean. “Look at what the Dutch government is doing with regard to its own citizens in Europe, who are predominantly white, in terms of Covid aid, Covid aid for small businesses and as part of a European-wide funding mechanism,” said lawyer Peter Choharis from Washington, who submitted the petition on behalf of the Sint Maarten parliament, in the newspaper. “Compare that with what they do on the islands, namely: ‘You have to build up more debt and agree to our demands’.” https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/1259760716/knops-onaangenaam-verrast-door-klacht-sint-maarten-over-racisme
The Dutch St Maarten Opposition government, NOT the people, want Independence from Holland. They want to keep their Dutch European Passport and all the perks and fringe benefits… But they want FULL independence, and more money🤷♀️ One today ‘Sint Maarten wants to remain connected with the Netherlands, but without administrative interference from outside’ 03/17/2021 5:57 PM Interior, Politics Author: Fatma Yalgin ‘Sint Maarten wants to remain connected with the Netherlands, but without administrative interference from outside’ The Parliament of Sint Maarten has filed a complaint with the UN against the Netherlands. According to parliamentarians, the Netherlands would act ‘neocolonial’ and ‘racist’ in providing corona aid, by attaching conditions to that aid.
The main pain point in the 30 million euros corona care that the Netherlands is offering. To ensure that the money goes to the right places, the Netherlands wants to set up a new supervisory body as a medium of exchange. If Sint Maarten does not reform properly, funding will stop.
External interference “It is clear that discrimination is an issue in the Netherlands,” said Xavier Blackman, party employee and adviser to Grisha Heyliger-Marten, Member of Parliament and one of the initiators of the indictment. Blackman explains that the petition is a logical consequence of business. “You must ensure that it does not affect the emergency aid to other countries in the Kingdom.” According to the indictment, more has been arranged in the field of care, education and corona support for European Dutch people.
Whether submitting the complaint is a means of ultimately becoming completely independent? The advisor is quite certain about this. “You have different forms of ‘being independent’. We want to remain associated with the Netherlands, but without external interference from the administration. It also appears according to the statutes that self-government is the highest good. With a supervisory body you give back sovereignty. That’s what we are here for. against.”
ALSO READ Hospital director Sint Maarten is disappointed with the Dutch aid package for the Antilles Hospital director Sint Maarten is disappointed with the Dutch aid package for the Antilles 09-04-2020 Serious allegations Not everyone sees the petition as the right means. “This is not so much to do with racism or neo-colonialism, but with structural reform,” said Perry Geerlings, former minister of finance of Sint Maarten. “We’re trying to get the country back on track. Whether this really stems from neo-colonial sentiments, I don’t know, but I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.”
A view of the sea Perry Geerlings (L) of the Democratic Party, in parliament on the island of Sint Maarten. This is also not the first time that the administrative interference of the Netherlands has been viewed from a critical perspective. In 2019 , St. Eustatius filed a case because there would have been, among other things, ‘maladministration’ and ‘favoritism’. “Since Hurricane Irma, we’ve been in debt to rebuild the country,” explains Geerlings. “We have also made agreements about this, to improve the Antillean administration. The Netherlands has the resources and the network to assist us. So what’s wrong with paternalism?”
‘Shut up or fuck off’ At the moment the question remains where the submitted complaint and petition will end. “Most importantly, we complete decolonization,” said Xavier Blackman. “From the Netherlands it is often a matter of ‘shut up or fuck off’, but it is more nuanced.”
“You also cannot half-finish a house and then give the keys”, says the adviser. “The facilities must be complete and complete. If you introduce that supervisory body, the decolonization process is not complete. And St. Maarten still lives in half a house.”
As of March 31st, 2021, the current contracts for the island-wide solid waste collection program will be coming to an end. In accordance with article 47 of the National Accountability Ordinance “Comptabiliteit Landsverordening”, the procurement of services was publicly tendered on February 2nd, 2021, for the services of collection and transportation of solid waste to continue throughout the various districts. The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure, (Ministry of VROMI) has prepared new multi-annual contracts to cover these services. The new contracts will commence on April 1st, 2021, and will last for five (5) years, ending on March 31st, 2026.
Contrary to the past, improvements were made, where stringent rules were introduced for the tender process. For example, business licenses of the prospective contractors needed to reflect the scope of works tendered, which in this case includes solid waste management/garbage collection and/or other relevant waste cleaning/removal services. Considerations from the previous years have been taken into account and where necessary, reflected into the new scope of works, so that the Government can achieve a cleaner Sint Maarten. To better manage the execution of the works, and to attain a more efficient work performance in the districts, the original eight (8) parcels have been reorganized into seven (7) parcels.
The Terms of Reference (ToR), along with the minutes of the meeting and addendum, form the basis of what contractors used to formulate their bidding package, which was legally vetted. In an effort to allow companies to qualify for participation in the tender, a bank guarantee was not requested as a prerequisite from the list of required documents. It was decided that after the signing and awarding of contracts, companies would be given thirty (30) days to submit a performance guarantee by a registered bank. As stated in the terms of reference and in the information meeting, non-compliance with the required documentation would result in the disqualification of the relevant participating companies. Businesses must adhere to the rules and regulations of any Government tender, as this involves public funds and should always be handled to a high standard. The entire bidding process was set in stone before the acceptance of any bid packages and no alterations were made after the bids were submitted. This ensured that all matters were handled reliably and with integrity. On February 2nd, 2021, bids were received from prospective contractors. During the tender session, the packages were opened in the presence of the prospective contractors and relevant staff of the Ministry, and prices of submitted bids were read aloud in light of transparency. The evaluation of this tender consisted of two (2) parts, namely, the technical evaluation of the received bids and the pricing evaluation. The technical evaluation of the bids consisted of assessing the completeness of tender documents, experience, and key personnel, detailed scheduling of waste collection, and their preliminary work plan. The pricing evaluation was based on an internal cost with a compliancy range which was predetermined before receiving the bids from contractors. The compliancy range consisted of a minimum and maximum pricing to avoid companies from underbidding as was done in the past, which could lead to inefficiency in the execution of services. Once the evaluation process was completed, the Department of Infrastructure compiled the information and based thereon, presented the advice to the Minister of VROMI for approval. Based on the compliancy of tender bids and accumulation of points, five (5) companies were awarded contracts for the collection of solid waste for seven (7) parcels. The awarding advice for the Collection of Solid Waste 2021-2026 was approved by the Council of Ministers and the Governor with very little to no remarks due to proper procedures being followed. Minister Egbert Doran, signed the contracts on March 11th, 2021, which as previously mentioned, will commence on April 1st, 2021. The Ministry has made their high expectations known to the contractors in holding up their side of the agreement and the contractors ensured that they are committed to keeping Sint Maarten clean. Now that the tender has been officially finalized, communications will be going out from the Ministry of VROMI to all the participants, thanking them for their participation and formally informing them of the outcome. The Minister stated that it is a priority to hire two additional contract managers to assist with the workload in ensuring that companies adhere to the agreed-upon obligations. Congratulations are extended to the companies that were successful in winning the tender. The Minister would like to encourage companies to make it a best practice to actively update their documentation and place emphasis on ensuring that they are in line with requirements for future participation in tenders. Lastly, the Minister stated once again, that he has high exceptions from these companies and looks forward to a cleaner Sint Maarten.
MP Emmanuel: Prime Minister must explain her position on petition
Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs must explain her position on the petition submitted to the United Nations and added that the Chairperson of Parliament Rolando Brison as well as the initiator of the petition Grisha Marten-Heyliger, is busy undermining their own initiative.
MP Emmanuel reminded all Parliamentary factions that he had forewarned that they were playing a dangerous game with the Dutch government. He said the Prime Minister of St. Maarten will now have to explain how or if government will proceed with the Caribbean Reform Entity (COHO) after the same entity is being used as a central piece in the petition against the Netherlands. “She has to say if she supports the petition yes or no, simple,” the MP said.
MP Emmanuel said that since some MP’s are of the opinion that the Prime Minister represents the people internationally and not the duly elected Parliament, then the PM must speak to the people. He said in 2015 former Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs questioned the Netherlands regarding decolonization for St. Maarten. “He spoke at the time for the people, so the PM has precedent. Speak to the people on the issue,” Emmanuel said.
He noted that on Wednesday during the Council of Ministers Press Briefing the PM said that government has reached a far-along stage on the implementation timeline for the country packages. “This is the same country package that is part and parcel of the COHO. The same COHO that the petition says is discriminatory and should not be imposed on St. Maarten,” the MP said. “So what is the position of the Prime Minister,” MP Emmanuel repeated.
He also pointed out that Chairperson of Parliament Rolando Brison as well as the co-initiator of the petition Grisha Marten-Heyliger stated on Wednesday afternoon that the PM should continue her negotiations and work with on the establishing of the COHO because the petition is Parliament’s responsibility not hers.
“If the PM emerges and says well the petition is Parliament’s business and not the Executive branch, them she might as well dissolve Parliament and call new elections. What is going to happen down the road when and if the petition comes out in favor of St. Maarten? Is Parliament going to say ok PM, roll back everything? How can government proceed without knowing if the legislative support for many of the aspect of COHO is there? What happens when the COHO law gets to Parliament? Are we going to say that’s not our responsibility?”
“Pick sense out of this nonsense for me please. So through one side of your mouth you are telling State Secretary Knops in writing that COHO has majority support in Parliament. Through the other side of your mouth you are telling the United Nations that the same Parliament does not support the implementation of the COHO, but the PM can continue implementing something that further erodes St. Maarten autonomy. This is a dangerous, disingenuous and infantile game that is being played. They have to stand somewhere. It can’t be both places,” the MP said.
Though the MP is signatory to the motion of November 2020 authorizing the initiative to pursue St. Maarten’s decolonization status, he said some of the language in the petition did surprise him and the “suddenness that it was sprung on Parliament.”
“My stance has never changed. I remain against the implementation of the COHO. I am not sitting on the fence waiting to see which side the ball will fall on. I am against the COHO, plain and simple.” he said.
“In case anyone forgot, allow me remind you. I was the lone MP that warned my colleague MP’s and the sitting government, not to sign the agreement with the Dutch that, among other things, demanded salary and benefit cuts, an unrealistic country package and the establishment of a Caribbean Reform Entity (COHO) that strips St. Maarten of its autonomy and basically all administrative control.
“State Secretary Raymond Knops as well as Dutch MP’s also warned about decolonization efforts vis-à-vis liquidity support and other aspects in the agreement. I asked the government and my colleague MP’s how can you give the Prime Minister the green light to sign the agreement with the Dutch with decolonization still on the table. I said it was a dangerous game to sign now, accept the money and then put the same money at risk later by continuing with the UN process after the Dutch clearly said it could be a problem.”
The MP said he will not let the government or the MP’s who support the government off the hook when it comes to COHO. He said the Prime Minister still has to return to Parliament to answer and face more questions and it would be interesting to see how the COHO is handled now that the petition has been submitted.
With regards to COHO the petition reads: “The discrimination by the Dutch government against its own island citizens becomes undeniable when the COHO’s scheme of recessionary, balanced-budget policies that will ensure the islands’ ongoing indebtedness to the Netherlands, coupled with the Dutch government’s imposition of neo-colonial authority over the islands, are contrasted with the Dutch government’s actions towards its European citizens and those of other EU nations.”
“The COHO is a central part of the petition. How are you going to reconcile supporting the PM and this nonsense of an entity, and still push for an investigation into the same COHO concept via the UN? And how will the PM continue to advocate for this Dutch control mechanism knowing that it has been used it as motivation for the UN petition? Does the PM support the petition yes or no?”
The police department would like to inform the general public of the following: It has come to our attention that persons living on the island, mainly persons with an illegal status are being approached and targeted by persons in the community, by taking their money with the promise of getting them smuggled to the US and/or the British Virgin Islands. In some cases, people were defrauded: money was paid, but the receivers of the money never intended to carry out a trip. Besides that, we, of the police department, would like to make it known that these boat trips are not only an illegal act but are also dangerous as the boats used are not adequate for handling rough seas, can easily go under and cause you to lose your life. This has happened in the past far too many times. Remember your life is precious no matter how difficult your circumstances may seem.
The Department of Infrastructure Management will like to announce that there will be a partial road closure of Sucker Garden road on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm.
The road closure is in connection with an emergency repair that needs to be carried out at a section of the road. Please see attached traffic plan.
Contractors involved in this work will be Windward Road B.V.
Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.
