St. Maarten Private Eye

COM will be run by a territorial council— which has a president— an executive council, and an advisory economic, social, and cultural council. The territorial council replaces the current municipal council. In St. Martin, there will be 23 members, with 19 in St. Barth. They will be elected with a two- tiered process in which the two lists that come out ahead in a primary will be the two candidates in the run off. Their term is five years. The territorial council takes over the role of the former municipal council as well as certain regional and departmental issues. Certain laws can be adapted to the particular needs of the COM. This idea of adaptability does not apply in certain areas such as penal law, monetary and banking law, business law, assurance law, and social laws. The COM will benefit from a transfer of competence from the federal government in terms of local taxes, work permits for foreigners, and tourism.
The President of the territorial council has the powers of a mayor, as well as the president of a regional and departmental council. In contrast to a mayor, whose job finishes at the end of his term or if he resigns, the president of the territorial council can be removed by the vote of at least one-third of the members of the council.
The executive council also represents the opposition and is composed of seven members elected from within the territorial council: the president, four vice-presidents, and two council members.
The economic, social, and cultural council, which offers participation to non-political figures on the island, acts in an advisory capacity. They must be consulted on all economic, social, cultural, and budgetary actions.