Philipsburg: --- Despite being in recess the island council will be holding an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the revised labour policy that has been shelved by the National Alliance/ Heyliger government. SMN News has been reliably informed that leader of the Democratic Party and former commissioner of labour Sarah Wescot Williams wrote a second letter to the acting chairman of the island council Millicent De Weever asking her to reconsider her decision and to call an urgent meeting. Last week De Weever had said the agenda point was not one of urgency and scheduled the meeting for August 10th. However, after the second letter was written police was used to deliver the notifications to the homes of the members of the executive council over the weekend the source said.
The executive council withdrew the revised labour policy which is still in effect just about a month ago after it is understood the policy is doing more damage to the economy than good. While the DP led government as well as the tripartite committee felt the policy was created to protect locals in the job market it is also understood that the revised policy is actually hindering and hurting locals.
Just two weeks ago the unions called an urgent meeting with the commissioner of labour who promised to further discuss the matter with the executive council. SMN News also understands that the executive council has requested the Lt. Governor to take away the labour mandate from the head of island labour Rafi Boasman. It is said the executive council no longer wants Boasman to sign off on work permits and that they would be the ones to decide on the granting of these permits as a collective body.