SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Member of Parliament (MP) Egbert J. Doran has raised concerns regarding the continued absence of a functioning Board of the Social Economic Council (SER), warning that the situation is creating a bottleneck in the legislative process.
During the notification round of Parliament’s meeting on Thursday, MP Doran highlighted the important role the SER Board plays in ensuring that the Council can carry out its advisory responsibilities on legislation and matters affecting the social and economic development of Sint Maarten.
According to MP Doran, the SER Board has been non-functional for approximately six to seven months, raising concerns about delays in the handling of legislation requiring advice from the Council.
MP Doran expressed disappointment with what he described as the Government’s seemingly relaxed approach to resolving the matter, particularly considering that concerns regarding the SER Board were already raised as far back as November 2024. He noted that despite these early warnings, the situation has been allowed to persist, with little indication of the urgency required to address an issue that directly affects the country’s legislative process.
The MP stressed that the continued absence of a functioning SER Board is not merely an administrative matter, but one that has consequences for Parliament’s ability to advance legislation in the interest of the people of Sint Maarten.
He called on his fellow Members of Parliament that form part of the coalition, and particularly the Chair of Parliament, to seek an update from the Government regarding the current status of the SER Board and the steps being taken to restore its functioning.
MP Doran emphasized that Parliament must be able to carry out its legislative responsibilities without unnecessary institutional obstacles and that the proper functioning of advisory bodies is essential to that process.
He concluded by calling for greater urgency and accountability in addressing the situation, emphasizing that concerns raised more than a year ago should not continue to remain unresolved while important legislative work is affected.
