Willemstad/Philipsburg: --- Minister of Justice David Dick is seriously looking into implementing the Brooks Tower Accord which was signed on March 2nd 2007 by the five Lt. Governors of the Netherlands Antilles and the Minister of Justice.
The accord was debated throughout the year 2006 and was finally signed in 2007.
In a telephone interview the Minister said it if was up to him that accord would have been implemented since it was signed but St. Maarten he said was not doing what was necessary claiming that the proper infrastructures were not in place.
The Minister said as soon as the Police Affairs move over to their new office space which is presently under construction then the policy will be implemented fully. While there were plans to have the policy implemented by July 1 the Minister said it would not happen before the new office spaces are ready. He said he does not want anyone to fail from executing the rules and regulation laid down in the accord for lack of infrastructures.
While not giving out all the guidelines of the accord he said the intention is fix all loopholes that existed during the grace period. “Right now both Curacao and St. Maarten are having some serious immigration problems and something has to be done to regulate it.”
Even though this policy is not published neither implemented fully it was being used in the revised labor policy which became effective on January 12.
At least two lawyers on St. Maarten already filed some court cases against the Lt. Governor of St. Maarten for using the Brooks Accord to his benefit and not to the benefit of those applying for legal documents to reside on the island.
Persons residing on St. Maarten before December 2001 as well as their dependants could apply for residency under at least eight conditions. The applicants must have an arrival stamp on their passport and make it acceptable to show that they have never left the
Netherlands Antilles since their arrival, they would also need to provide at least one or two residency permit or a copy of their petition that they have filed for residency. A request from the census office, and proof that they have been working continuously on the island as well as paying their social charges including income tax. Also acceptable is any other form of proof that the person has been on the island before the stipulated date of December 2001.