~Former Prime Minister says workers cannot build secure lives while millions in potential revenue remain uncollected.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Former Member of Parliament and former Prime Minister William Marlin has launched a sharp attack on the continued use of short-term employment contracts in permanent jobs, arguing that workers are being denied the stability needed to build meaningful lives in their own country.
Speaking as a guest on Wendell Moore’s Viewpoint programme, Marlin also questioned how long government and Parliament will continue delaying legislation that could allow St Maarten to collect revenue from Airbnb and other short-term vacation rentals operating throughout the country.
Marlin said the island does not need more political speeches and promises. It needs legislation, enforcement and visible results.
“Our people literally cannot build a life for themselves in their own country because they can’t get permanent employment,” Marlin said.
He argued that businesses continue hiring workers on successive short-term contracts even when the positions being filled are permanent by nature.
“If the job is of a permanent nature, a cashier is needed,” Marlin said. “No business can operate without a cashier, but yet cashiers work in cycles, one after the other.”
According to Marlin, workers who remain trapped in temporary employment cannot confidently plan their futures, obtain financing or establish long-term financial security for themselves and their families.
Marlin says original labor protection was stripped away
Marlin recalled submitting draft initiative legislation in January 2011 to amend the Civil Code and address the abuse of short-term contracts.
He said the proposal was introduced only months after St Maarten attained country status on October 10, 2010. At the time, his faction was in opposition but held seven seats in Parliament.
According to Marlin, the proposal was subsequently modified and later returned to Parliament after government held consultations with unions and the business community. However, he charged that the central purpose of the original legislation had been removed.
“The whole essence of the law was ripped apart because of the difference in who we represent,” Marlin said, contrasting representation of business interests with representation of workers.
He accused the Democratic Party of weakening the legislation because, in his view, its supporters in the business community did not want the original protections implemented.
Marlin’s comments represent his political assessment of how the draft legislation was handled. The interview did not include a response from the Democratic Party or the business community.
The former prime minister maintained that permanent jobs should not be continuously filled by replacing one temporary worker with another.
He also pointed out that temporary contracts are no longer limited to the private sector, saying even government workers and teachers are affected.
Airbnb called “Biggest Hotel” on St Maarten
Marlin also turned his attention to Airbnb, questioning why St Maarten has not established the legislation and collection mechanisms needed to obtain revenue from the growing short-term rental sector.
“Who in the world is it going to take in St Maarten to be able to get the money that is owed to us from Airbnb on the island?” Marlin asked.
He described Airbnb as being “all over St Maarten” and called the platform the island’s “biggest hotel.”
Marlin recounted instances in which visitors reportedly arrived at his private property after being directed by an Airbnb booking to an address that did not correspond with the accommodation they intended to rent.
He argued that government and Parliament should move urgently to regulate the sector and collect the revenue due to the country.
“All hands should be on deck to make it happen,” he said. “Get it done, approve it and let tens of millions roll in.”
The interview did not identify a verified amount currently owed by Airbnb operators, nor did it provide an official government estimate of potential revenue. Marlin’s reference to millions therefore represents his assessment of the sector’s revenue potential.
Nevertheless, his statements renew a critical national question: How much business is conducted through short-term vacation rentals, how many properties are properly registered and how much tax revenue is being lost because the necessary rules and collection systems remain incomplete?
Parliament must scrutinize government spending
Marlin said Parliament must take a more critical look at the national budget and question whether public money is being allocated according to the country’s priorities.
He challenged MPs to identify areas from which money could be redirected when government claims insufficient funds are available for sports and other essential programmes.
Marlin also urged Parliament to explain legislation to the public instead of allowing draft laws to pass with little substantive public discussion.
He said residents frequently hear technical references to draft legislation, document numbers, Central Committee meetings and advice from the Council of Advice but receive little explanation about what Parliament has approved and how the legislation will affect their lives.
“Too often when draft legislation is handled, the ministers themselves don’t spend time explaining to the people what it is,” he said.
Marlin argued that Parliament’s success should not be measured only by speeches or the number of laws submitted. MPs must demonstrate how their work produces concrete improvements for the people they were elected to represent.
“More Action” Needed
The former prime minister also questioned the status of several projects and proposals that have remained under discussion for years.
He referred to plans for a new Parliament building and land reportedly available for housing, saying Sint Maarten continues hearing promises while projects remain stalled.
“You can have as many beautiful statements as possible in Parliament and nice speeches by Members of Parliament,” Marlin said, before calling for “more action.”
His central message was that government, and Parliament must move beyond ceremony, announcements and political rhetoric.
Marlin urged the public to closely monitor the government during the new parliamentary year and called on Parliament to question ministers aggressively on behalf of the people.
“Keep an eye on government more than anything else,” he said. “Question government on behalf of the people.”
For workers trapped in revolving contracts and a government searching for additional revenue, Marlin’s message was direct: St Maarten already knows where some of its problems are. What remains missing is the political will to act.