Philipsburg: ------ Commissioner of Labor Affairs Sarah Wescot Williams said the new labor policy which was launched just a month ago creates more transparency within the labor market. She said this assessment was based on the job vacancies that are now being advertised in several newspapers. Wescot Williams said she is extremely pleased with the transparency that this new policy has created.The labor commissioner also issued a strong call to all job seekers to go after these vacancies. She said it is evident since the introduction of the new labor policy it has become much more transparent on employment availability and the positions that are available. She said she is specifically calling on job seekers and not only the unemployed since there are people who wants to move from one job to another or even are looking to advance their career. "I am making a public call to you to go after the jobs that are being advertised which needs to be filled on St. Maarten." The commissioner said.
Wescot Williams said that all persons who are already residing on St. Maarten should be considered for the vacancies whether or not their legal status is in order. She said when the head of the labor department had made this call he was criticized and many wanted to know if he was encouraging illegalities.
Wescot Williams said she approved the idea of dealing with all persons residing on St. Maarten since some of them for many years were not able to regulate their legal status even when it is not a fault of their own they are without a legal status. Wescot Williams said if they are to stem the influx of more foreign labor then it is only normal that they take on the responsibility and deal with the persons that are living on the island already as part of the work force.
Wescot Williams made reference to the policy of the Minister of Justice David Dick who introduced a policy in 2006 which states that persons that are residing on the island and are gainfully employed along with other conditions would be legalized.
The commissioner said she believes this is the way to go if they are to stem or regulate the influx of more foreign workers. She said she has first hand knowledge of people who are here and does not have a status for the island. "I am not talking about first generation, but I know persons from the second and now going into third generations whose statuses are not in order".
Wescot Williams said she personally feels that those in authority need to deal with those persons that are already on St. Maarten rather than adding more people to the island.
The commissioner said she would be holding a meeting with the head of the labor department on Friday and she is expecting to get a report on the progress of the new labor policy. The commissioner is also scheduled to meet with the Minister of Labor later this week where matters relating to labor will be discussed.