SINT MAARTEN (POND ISLAND) - On Wednesday, 7 January, the University of St. Martin (USM) hosted an information session in which USM Research Coordinator Drs. Raymond Jessurun presented preliminary findings on the working conditions of workers and seniors, with particular attention to social protection measures effective 1 January 2026, including developments related to the minimum wage and the maximum old-age pension.
The findings form part of the Shared Research Chair on Slavery and its Consequences, Work Package 1: Slavery, Labor, Migration and Identity, which examines historical and contemporary labor conditions at USM.
The research traces how wealth was produced through unfree and unpaid labor during slavery and how, following abolition, labor systems evolved into unequal forms of (migrant) labor that persist today.
A comparative analysis of minimum wage and old-age pension developments across the territories of the Kingdom of the Netherlands illustrated key research questions, notably when the most recent increases occurred in each territory and why significant disparities remain.
Central to the discussion was the issue of equal and non-discriminatory treatment of citizens within the Kingdom, particularly in light of the substantially lower minimum wage and pension levels in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom compared to those in the European Netherlands.
The presentation also addressed relevant international, Kingdom-level, and local legislation, aiming to inform and engage participants who attended both in person and online.
Feedback, questions, and remarks shared during the session will be used to further refine and deepen the research. USM continues to welcome additional public input following the session.
In his opening remarks, USM President Prof. Dr. Antonio Carmona Báez emphasized the importance of engaging the public at an early stage of the research process, noting that incorporating societal perspectives strengthens the relevance and impact of research outcomes for community development.
The Shared Research Chair on the Impact of Slavery and Its Consequences was publicly launched in September 2025. The initiative is led by USM, Instituto Pedagogico Arubano, University of Aruba and University of Curaçao, through the Caribbean Higher Education Council of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (CHECK) with support from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science (OCW).
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