He had had detailed discussions on the sensitive issue of immigration with members of the Central Committee of the Island Council earlier.

The Minister told reporters at a press conference that for him, the most important aspect of his session with the Central Committee was that he had been able to share his concerns about the immigration situation.

“St. Maarten has a population of 50,000 registered residents. Half doesn’t have a Dutch passport. Another 20,000 people reside here without a permit. This was my concern and I shared this concern today with the members of the Island Council and I hope they will start helping me thinking about solutions,” said Dick.

Dick and Local Chief of Police Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards announced that in the wake of yesterday’s Central Committee meeting, there would be follow-up sessions involving both of them and members of the Executive Council, to discuss immigration issues.

That was considered the main outcome of a two-and-a-half hour presentation given by Dick and Herbert Coffi, a senior official of the Justice Department, in the Island Council Central Committee.

Speaking at a press briefing after the signing of an agreement for the expansion of police cells at the Philipsburg police station, Richards said it had been decided to have future discussion between the Central Government and St. Maarten Executive Council how to synchronise the policy on employment and residence permits.

Dick confirmed that discussions would follow especially with Social Affairs Commissioner Louie Laveist to work on policy and give support to the St. Maarten Government. The follow-up meetings are expected to take place in November or earlier if deemed more appropriate.

He stressed that the immigration situation had caused social problems that made it more important to apply very strict rules, because one of the major problems had been people wanting to go around the rules.

The minister stressed during the meeting with the Central Committee that a policy must be developed that would establish standards for immigration that took into account demographics such as aging population.

There was also a need to establish minimum requirements for health insurance for immigrants. Non-recognition of concubine agreements and stricter rules for family reunion have been implemented. These changes have been based on recent court rulings.

Coffi told The Daily Herald that these were the main changes that had been applied within the immigration policy, but that the policy had been the same for years.

“What we try to do is to refresh everyone’s memory of what the rules and regulations are and make everyone apply them stringently. Policy must be clear and interpreted the same by all entities involved, including legal representatives of the Government,” he said

Source: thedailyherald.com