St. Maarten News —“Government is targeting the sex industry and not acknowledging their own responsibility,” said attorney at law Jairo Bloom who is representing the Adult Entertainment clubs on the island. The government and brothel owners have been at loggerheads in recent months, with the government putting a stop on issuing work and resident permits for sex workers. The decision is putting a strain on business for brothels, forcing them to seek legal representation to address the issue. The government is mooting the idea of offering business licenses to sex workers, so they can operate as individual entrepreneurs as opposed to receiving a work permit.
The Court of First Instance had ordered the government to continue to accept work permit applications, but many of these applications were rejected. It was only last week that some of the applications were taken by the Ministry of Health where the clubs were left with the option to return to court for penalties if the government refuses to comply with the order. The judge in the Court of First Instance did not think that this order was prudent.
According to attorney Bloem, instead of returning to court, it was decided to continue speaking with government to see if a consensus could be agreed upon temporarily, ending the long awaited legislation or policy governing the industry that was to be finalized since January 2016. In the meeting between the club owners and the representatives of the Ministry of Health where a draft for a temporary solution was made, it was not adopted by the Council of Ministers and has since decided on a new policy, said Bloem.
Source: Today SXM Bloem: St. Maarten Government has no good will for sex industry
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