Philipsburg:--- The Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Unions (WICLU) and other non-governmental organizations are planning to send a letter to the President of Parliament as early as Wednesday, Vice President of the WICLU Claire Elshot told reporters on Tuesday during WICLU's weekly press briefing.
The WITU President said that the letter they intend to send to Parliament is to request some clarifications or information from the Members of Parliament that are planning to attend the inter-parliamentary meetings to be held in the Netherlands shortly. Elshot said last Monday evening representatives from the non-governmental organizations, labour unions, senior citizens organizations, and the council of churches met to discuss a number of issues, especially how to get the attention of the Members of Parliament to address the realization of the social, economic, and cultural rights for the people of St. Maarten. Elshot said they want to know what happened to the request that was tabled in January 2012 by the social organizations. This was tabled to all Parliamentarians at the inter-parliamentary meetings that were held on St. Maarten. Elshot said that the request to the Kingdom Council was to address cooperation in the Kingdom to recognize all the social, economic, and cultural rights in the Kingdom in a non-discriminatory manner.
Elshot said to date the request was not placed on the agenda of the meetings to be held in Hague from March 5th to 8th, 2013. "The President of the Parliament of St. Maarten Rodolphe Samuel informed the vice president of the St. Maarten senior citizens and pensioners association that all parliamentary presidents have agreed to leave sensitive issues out of the agenda. In other words, the request to discuss cooperation on the most pressing issues such as poverty eradication, the realization of the right to an adequate standard of living for the people of St. Maarten as well as equal social protection on the social floor will not be discussed in the upcoming inter-parliamentary meetings. Elshot said only the President of the Parliament of St. Maarten and the Kingdom committee in Parliament can give them the information on the request they submitted last year. This request was adopted by the St. Maarten Parliamentary delegation and it was also discussed by the IPCKC meeting. Elshot said they still don't know what are the official agenda points to be discussed in the up-coming inter-parliamentary meeting to be held in the Netherlands. Elshot said they intend to request a formal meeting with the Members of Parliament prior to them leaving the island so they will know what the elected officials of St. Maarten will say during these meetings on behalf of the people of St. Maarten.
Workers should get Equal Treatment like the Politicians.
The WITU President said that they are of the opinion that workers rights and benefits must be protected just as the politicians who were elected by the people of St. Maarten. She said politicians who were ousted from office last year are still able to collect their salaries for a period of time yet workers that have given years of service to their employers are not able to get their benefits and or salaries. Elshot was referring to the Ministers who were forced to leave office last May when the UP/DP government fell. Elshot said when one looks at the salaries the Ministers and Members of Parliament are collecting then one would understand what the unions and other non-governmental partners are speaking about when it comes to equality. She said what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.
She also made reference to the Simpson Bay Resort Management Company (SBRMC) that is now busy finalizing the sale of the property to Hard Rock Café. Elshot said she is hoping that government would ensure that the workers of that resort maintain their jobs with the new investors because to date some of the workers were not able to collect their benefits because the department of labour never finalized the request the company submitted for some of the workers' dismissal. She said because the process was incomplete many of the workers were not able to obtain social assistance and were not paid out for their years of service.
