PHILIPSBURG–The Ombudsman recently concluded a systemic investigation related to the functioning of the Rent Tribunal (RT). The previous two systemic investigations initiated after the September 2017 hurricanes were regarding the Disaster Management Plan and the Dismissal Advisory Committee.
The investigation assisted in bringing to the forefront the serious challenges of the RT to adequately execute its task, and understanding reached between government and the RT regarding steps to address and alleviate the most pressing matters in the short term. The ombudsman observed in the report that this has not yet resulted in tangible decisions from the Council of Ministers and improvement of the critical situation.
The ombudsman has recommended that government should establish the proposed and subsequently approved organisational structure of the RT, including realistic remunerations by national decree, and that the RT along with government should establish an annual budget which includes all resources necessary that will allow the RT to effectively and efficiently execute its task pursuant to the law.
Further, the Minister of General Affairs should promptly take the resolutions of the hearing held at the Bureau of the Ombudsman on September 20, 2018, and subsequent follow-up from the RT, to the Council of Ministers for decision-making.
The ombudsman said the RT should actively engage various stakeholders, including government, to discuss the identified changes to the National Ordinance on Rent proposed based on their experiences and practical circumstances.
The RT should continue periodical dialogue with the Joint Court of Justice to ensure that the relevant procedural matters between the two institutions remain in sync and should formally establish and implement the draft Rent Tribunal Process Handbook, as well as a standardised form to facilitate the intake and outline of information pertaining to a hearing, said the ombudsman.
The final report was submitted to Parliament considering the nature and importance of the investigation for the public. The ombudsman has requested a status report from the RT on the recommendations within three months from the date of the report.
The final report is available for download via the website
www.ombudsmansxm.com under the “Articles and Presentations” tab.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/83301-ombudsman-concludes-systemic-investigation-into-rent-tribunal
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