From left: Gerard Richardson (Secretary-General of SER Sint Maarten), John Jacobs (President of SER Curaçao), Raul Henriquez (Secretary-General of SER Curaçao), Prime-Minister of Curaçao Eugène Rhuggenaath, Felix Bijlhout (Secretary-General of SER Aruba) and Damien Richardson (Chairman of SER Sint Maarten).
WILLEMSTAD–The Social Economic Councils SERs in the Dutch Caribbean countries of the Kingdom, met with Curaçao Prime Minister Eugène Rhuggenaath on Friday, October 12, to achieve a sustainable policy in the field of labour and economic migration.
The Presidents and the Secretary-Generals of the SER institutions made a presentation to the Prime Minister, which focused on the theme of labour migration in the context of the challenges facing the countries and the underlying principles with regard to sustainable socio-economic development. It was proposed by the participating SER institutions that a joint symposium be organised in Curaçao for the first quarter of 2019.
Rhuggenaath, in turn, said he supported having a symposium as well as cooperation amongst the three countries. He will discuss this with his colleagues of Aruba and Sint Maarten this month, during the next tripartite meeting of the prime ministers of the three Caribbean countries of the Kingdom.
“It is important that the Caribbean countries within the Dutch Kingdom, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, work together, each with their own responsibilities, laws and regulations. Collectively, scenarios can be explored that can lead to medium- and long-term socio-economic development,” it was stated in a press release on Wednesday.
All three countries are confronted with just about the same issues in the areas of population policy and socio-economic development. The challenges include amongst other things, a prolonged stagnating economy, increased aging, brain drain, a social welfare system that is under pressure, an unequal labour market, the socio/economic crisis in Venezuela and the issue of undocumented migrants in general.
“The question here is what impacts will regional and international developments of migration have on the aforementioned socio-economic issues and how policy can be accommodated in this respect. The countries can support each other in the field of developing strategic policy, substantiated based on lessons learned and best practices of the Kingdom, in the region and elsewhere,” it was stated in the release.
The policy will have to focus on the challenges, as well as on the opportunities and benefits that migration and especially labour migration entails for sustainable socio-economic development in the countries with emphasis on future of work, social certainty, medical care, and improved living conditions in the neighbourhoods.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/81756-dutch-caribbean-sers-meet-with-curacao-pm
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