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Roland Duncan
Duncan: BTA creates immigration challenge for SXM
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - Minister of Constitutional Affairs, Roland Duncan believes the Brooks Tower Agreement (BTA) has created an immigration challenge for St. Maarten in that the permits expire a mere month after the island becomes a country.
The government of Country St. Maarten will now be given the task of ensuring that these people remain legal residents and not fall back in to their previous illegal immigrant status, thus aggravating the social challenges of the island.
Duncan: SXM has to deal with abuse of short term contracts
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - Minister of Constitutional Affairs Roland Duncan said Country St. Maarten will have to deal with the abuse of short term labor contracts. Duncan told Today that the Netherlands Antilles have made changes to the civil code to deal with this matter, namely that workers can only have three contracts for a maximum three years.
However he wants country St. Maarten to assess to measure the effectiveness of the law. Duncan said the civil code changes protect one set of workers but not all.
Parliament Unanimously Approves "Duncan Law"
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - Parliament unanimously approved the Transition Regulation Early Elections on Wednesday. The law was presented by Minister Roland Duncan, who is responsible for Constitutional & Internal Affairs and he expects it will take affect by the end of April.
"The Prime Minister and Minister Duncan heartily thanked the Parliamentarians for their unanimous support of the legislation and the further empowerment of the Island Territories in the exercise of their right of self -determination.
Duncan: Legislative Hall must be bigger to accommodate SXM parliament
PHILIPSBURG - St. Maarten will have to re-design a bigger space in the current A.C. Wathey Legislative Hall to accommodate the 15-member parliament of country St. Maarten. "You will have to re-build the A.C. Wathey Legislative Hall. The way it is set up right now is absolutely non-functional and is not how a parliament functions. You have a parliament and some space for invited guest ministers," Duncan explained.[More....]
Duncan has good report of constitutional process
PHILIPSBURG - The constitutional train continues to roll despite the fall of the Dutch government and the pending elections in Holland. Minister Roland Duncan disclosed that he has been advised by one of his legal assistants on the judicial committee that matters pertaining to police and other minor matters are already prepared and he anticipates that a political steering group summit with the islands can be held by the ending of Apr[More....]il.
Duncan has good report of constitutional process
PHILIPSBURG - The constitutional train continues to roll despite the fall of the Dutch government and the pending elections in Holland. Minister Roland Duncan disclosed that he has been advised by one of his legal assistants on the judicial committee that matters pertaining to police and other minor matters are already prepared and he anticipates that a political steering group summit with the islands can be held by the ending of April.[More....]
Governor accepts final report from formateur Atacho
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - The Governor of the Netherlands Antilles, mr. F.M.d.l.S. Goedgedrag, received the final report of the formateur, Mr. P.J. Atacho. Mr. Atacho has accepted the commission to form a cabinet that:
· has a majority support in Parliament and a basis on all the islands of the Netherlands Antilles, and
· consists of persons who are prepared and able to execute a transition program in a decisive and well-balanced manner on the basis of the Agreement of Philipsburg, concluded on February 19, 2010
Transfer Process is Going to Slow Says Duncan.
SMNN -
Philipsburg: ---- Minister of Home and Constitutional Affairs Roland Duncan met with the executive council on Tuesday where they discussed the transfer of dependencies from the central government to St. Maarten. Speaking to reporters shortly after the meeting Duncan said the objective of the meeting was to discuss the transfer process, which is, going far too slow. The Minister said if the dependencies are set up structurally on St. Maarten then it can be used to build country St. Maarten. However, they took an inventory on the process to see which is functioning from that, which is not functioning. Duncan said he planned to go back to the council of ministers to see if they can make some changes on the functioning of these dependencies. He agreed that this task would not be easy but is prepared to try to convince his colleagues on the situation at hand.[More....]
Bonaire's constitutional difficulties should not affect other islands says Minister Duncan
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - State Secretary with the responsibility for Kingdom relations, Ank Bijleveld-Schouten told representatives of the island territory of Bonaire this week, that the future status they are seeking to achieve from the Kingdom is not feasible.
The island territory is seeking for an associated state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands via a referendum to be held next year.
Duncan defends laws to augment Island Council
PHILIPSBURG--Minister Roland Duncan defended on Wednesday proposed changes to the Islands Regulation of the Netherlands Antilles ERNA that would expand the island territories’ executive and legislative branches and foreshadow an early end to the Island Councils. Duncan, who is responsible for Constitutional and Home Affairs, stressed that the laws that had gone to the Advisory Council for vetting were necessary as St. Maarten approached country status. “These provisions are important for growth,” he said in a press conference. He had just returned from a week in the Dominican Republic and St. Vincent. [More....]
