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Immigration and Human Smuggling
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Hey, I know this is a small story amongst many other bigger ones going on, but I'd like to say something about it because I feel it's just another reflection of how dysfunctional SXM's government departments are.
In June last year the Census office announced that yet again, the one and only machine they have for making ID cards was out of service. In August they told us that the problem was the software and it was being upgraded. In March this year it was finally working again. And now, again, it is not.
Will be another 10 months before it is working again? Does it need replacing completely or perhaps another purchased as a standby? And are those using it actually trained in it's operation and care? Will those with expired cards be given a break from police or immigration, or will they have to spend nights in a police cell while their renewal status is investigated? Will the census office offer letters to those with expired card or those waiting so they can avoid that horrible possibility?
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.
Mother of 4-month-old child locked up pending repatriation
~ Father wants her to be released on humanitarian grounds ~ PHILIPSBURG--The undocumented mother of two young Dutch children, one of whom is a breastfeeding four-month-old, was detained and thrown in the lockup Wednesday pending repatriation for residing in St. Maarten illegally. The other child is two years old. The 29-year-old Jamaican woman L.Y. tied the knot to Dutch national G.Y in 2006, but her husband has not had any success in obtaining residence papers for her. The 32-year-old husband told The Daily Herald it was "unfair" for authorities to detain his wife, who is still breastfeeding, and throw her in jail when her only fault was not having residence papers.[More....]
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.
Over 500 Haitians registered for the first week, next week is the last week to register.
SMNN -
Philipsburg:---The Minister of Justice who was in St Maarten for a one day working visit on Friday paid a visit to the registration of Haitian nationals at the conference room of the Salvation Army in Cole Bay. The Minister met with her advisors and the Project Team Members who explained the development of the first week of registration. The Minister of Justice Magali Jacoba, sat with some Haitian immigrants who had some personal unique problems and permission was given to them to stay till further down this year. Over 500 Haitians registered so far and the Minister of Justice is asking all Haitian nationals who are undocumented on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten, to please go and register. This will be the last week that the registration will be open. After March 31st there will be no more opportunities to register. All Haitians who do not have legal status and did not register at the Salvation Army conference room, are in violation of the immigration laws and will be deported back to Haiti.[More....]
Immigration Controls Begin ---14 Arrested to be Deported.
SMNN - Philipsburg:--- The police and immigration department has begun their planned immigration controls. The officers visited a number of businesses and work sites in search of illegal workers. During the process, they managed to arrest 14 persons who were working and residing on the island illegally.
Police also visited neighborhoods where they believe illegal immigrants are residing said police spokesman Ricardo Henson. Those arrested and are to be deported are from Italy, Jamaica, France, Anguilla, Dominican Republic, and Dominica.
The registration of Haitian Nationals continues over 350 has so far been register
PHILIPSBURG - On Monday March 15, the process has begun where by all undocumented Haitian Nationals that failed to comply with the BTA and those who have never went to register with the BTA accord. The Minister of Justice Magali Jacoba along with the local government of St Maarten has decided that all undocumented Haitian nationals residing on Dutch St Maarten should get a chance to register to avoid deportation when the immigration controls start, reason for this is because of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti last January 12, 2010 that caused massive damage in the capital of Port au Prince, Haiti.[More....]
Judge releases pregnant mother from police cells
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - A pregnant mother of 3 was released Monday March 15, 2010, after spending more than 10 days on the floors of the policecells in Philipsburg.
The mother was arrested at the airport on March 4 because it was discovered that her passport and that of her 3 children were false.
Registration of Haitian nationals in relation to the Brooks Towers (category 3)
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - On Monday March 15th, registration will start of illegal Haitian nationals. Wednesday March 31, 2010 will be the last day to register.
The registration will take place from Monday through Friday from 8 in the morning non stop till 4 in the afternoon at the Conference Center of the Salvation Army on the Union Road #59 in Cole Bay.
Love us or leave us
The Daily Herald - Dear Editor,
Please allow me to tackle the issue of immigration.
Now that Justice Minister Magali Jacoba is cleaning up the Netherlands Antilles, most of the business people here on St. Maarten are murmuring. I have heard that some of them have said illegal people have kept the country afloat economically. In my line of work I have realised that, too. However, I have never subscribed to the theory that hiring illegal people is better than hiring Antilleans. As brother Christopher would say, "that cannot fly with me."
I have no qualms about hiring non-nationals, but they should be documented. And we have a right to reject any other nationals who did not meet the Brooks Tower Accord (BTA) requirement.
