Philipsburg:--- Advisor to the United Federation Union (UFA) Willy Haize said that the Indian Merchants Association (IMA) has acted too quickly when they closed down the island last week after the brutal killing of businessman Haresh Dayalani. Haize said he believed the IMA should have allowed justice to take its course and see exactly why Dayalani was killed. He said even though the prosecutor has said it was a robbery that went bad the IMA should have waited to see if in fact that was the case.
Haize said the business community has to realize they created a social time bomb on St.Maarten since youths as well as thier parents are not being employed by these businesses.
The unionist said right now the youths on St. Maarten are reacting to the social crisis with violence since they are not able to find work so that they can properly feed themselves. He said for years he has been calling on government as well as the business community to eliminate poverty on St. Maarten by employing and paying the islanders correctly. Haize also blamed the island government for the situation they created since they are the ones who granted commmercial licenses to all sorts of people. He said the island government caused the influx of foreign labour to St. Maarten which eventually phased out the locals.
The UFA advisor further explained that the very business community who now has control of the economy are the ones protesting against the full implementation of the new integrated labour policy. These businesses came up with all sorts of things against this policy that was created to eliminate poverty and the influx of foreign labour to St. Maarten.
Haize said if the youths on St. Maarten are not able to find work and they cannot live comfortable in their own country they are going to create hell here. He said it is time the island government study this situation and come up with ways and means to tackle it.
Government has to now tell these businesses that they must hire locals if they are to avoid crime and violence on St. Maarten. He said bringing in more police would not answer to the social problems facing the nation.
Haize said the IMA asked government do all they can to reduce crime and they said they are willing to assist, with whatever is needed. "My advise to them is to begin hiring the parents and youths on St. Maarten and stop importing foreign labor. They also need to stop hiring the undocumented people on St. Maarten which is competing against the locals.
