SMAPP says disrespecting workers’ rights of NAPB members in Justice continues | SOUALIGA NEWSDAY

SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) – “Minister of Justice the honorable Ms Anna Richardson on Monday March 1, 2021 hosted a “Welcome Home” party for the “the Border Protection and Mobile Control Units” which she called the “missing links within the Immigration and Border Protection Services (IBP) Department”. So when the Border Protection and Mobile Control Units went missing? When they got lost? When did the “Lost and Found Department of the Minister” found the lost Border Protection and Mobile Control Units? Where Minister Ana Richardson found them? How come they went missing?” the Sint Maarten Anti-Poverty Platform (SMAPP) stated in a press statement.

“NAPB members working for the Police Department never received notification that the employees of the Border Protection and Mobile Control Units went missing! NAPB members working for the Police Department never had to go and SEARCH for these missing employees! NAPB knows these immigration officers as colleagues who were working already with them from before 10-10-10 in the Netherlands Antillean Police Corpse (KPNA)!

“The Minister said that the IBP Department “Getting the three divisions Residence and Admittance, Border Protection and Mobile Control Unit under one umbrella will ensure Sint Maarten's border security is up to standards just like other country's borders are being secured.”

“The placement of employees and of immigration officers in the Immigration and Border Protection Services is not up to national and international labor standards, nor did placement happen according to the legislation adopted for the transition of employees from Country Netherlands Antilles to Country St Maarten.

“The employees never went missing! As NAPB members these employees never went missing! Let us tell you what went missing. Let us tell you what the Minister of Justice still did not welcome to St Maarten! Let the employees tell you what is still missing for them to get what they are legally entitles to!

“What went missing is legislation from the Netherlands Antilles relevant for the Justice Ministry which according to the “Transfer Nation Ordinance” (=Overdrachts Landsverordening) had to be decreed and consolidated in texts in legislation of St Maarten!!

“What went missing are the decrees of honorary dismissal and the decrees which instated our members as employees of country St Maarten maintaining all their acquired rights!

“What went missing are all the necessary steps according to the National Ordinance “Social Charter to build up Country St Maarten” and therefore the required decisions and decrees to arrange the legal transfer of the employees from the former Netherlands Antillean Ministry of Justice to the Ministry of Justice of country St Maarten.

“What went missing is the realization of their correct remunerations, the money to pay their correct salary due since 10-10-10 and the realization and continuation of their career perspectives.

“The Minister in her speech on Monday thanked the officers for their commitment and diligence during the transition, while assuring them that all unresolved issues are being addressed and will be resolved. “The Minister of Justice self has not been diligent with respecting the workers’ rights. The Minister has not observed acquired rights of the employees working for immigration in KPNA from before 10-10-10. As a matter of fact, not only minister Ana Richardson, but also former Ministers of Justice have been taking decisions, have been hiring staff, placing staff, promoting staff without considering the rights of the employees from before 10-10-10. All these Justice Ministers have denied these employees the right to see the organization plan with the organogram, the formation plan, the function books, the vacancies in the new entity, etc.

“NAPB has a long list of omissions and a list of corrections to be made for the Minister of Justice. If Minister Anna Richards really wants to address and resolve all unresolved issues of the workers, let her start to resolve this unresolved issue: NAPB has made several requests to meet with the Minister. Until now the Minister of Justice did not call a meeting for the NAPB to dialogue and reach to consensus with the Minister on the outstanding issues to be resolved for our members in the Justice Ministry,” the SMAPP press statement concludes.