Philipsburg:--- The staff of Minister of Justice Magali Jacoba will begin the extension of the Brooks Tower Permit on Monday August 2 2010 at the Salvation Army Building in Cole Bay and will end on September 18th 2010. Minister Jacoba told members of the media on Thursday that had they abandoned the entire BTA process then a number of those persons who received the BTA permits earlier this year would not have been able to acquire a regular permit through the normal process. Jacoba said that was one of the reasons the new policy was not published while she had to wait on the decisions of all the islands and their stakeholders before announcing the new strategy.
The Minister said that persons who qualified for the category 1 permit would receive a three year permit at no additional cost. After the three years is over in 2013 the intention is to grant those persons permanent residency because many of them have been living on the island for a number of years now. Persons falling under Category 1 are for those that have been residing on the islands from 2001 to 2005.
Tiara Hasselhoef, head of the BTA project said that the Category 1 has been divided into two groups. The first group which is called Category 1 (A) is for persons who are working with companies or private individuals. These persons she said can begin picking up their employer's declaration form and the list of requirements as early as Sunday at the Philipsburg Police Station at the BTA window.
Hasselhoef said the application forms will be filled out by attendants on Monday in the presence of the applicants. Information she said will be taken directly from the applicant's passport and temporary BTA permit. Applicants are asked to make sure they walk with all the required documents when going to file for the permits. Hasselhoef made clear that the attendants will not be accepting incomplete files and this is once in lifetime opportunity. Persons who do not have all the documents on hand will be sent away and asked to return when they have all that is required to for the processing of the BTA Residency permits.
Hasselhoef urged the BT applicants to make use of the time allotted for the renewal of these permits because the Minister of Justice Magali Jacoba can only sign these permits up to October 9th 2010. She said currently the BTA project team is aiming to process at least 200 applications each day since they are open from Monday August 2 at 8am to 6pm. The processing of these permits is expected to last a maximum of two weeks since the procedure has been simplified. Applications she said is available in English, Spanish and Creole.
The Minister said persons who fall under the steering group would also fall under the Category 1 A and B. Jacoba said the project team is still working on the appeals case and many of them may also receive their permits during this period.
Documents that have to be provided by the applicants are a valid and authentic passport of each family member, A complete BT Application form which must be filled in and signed at the location, copy of the current temporary Resident Permit (BTA) of each family member, declaration of work of the employer, together with a copy of the employer's passport, extract from the Chamber of Commerce of Company, (if the applicant is working for a company), Personal crib number of the main applicant, Official entry statement from school of school aged children (4-18 years) and children above 18 years that are still studying.
Applicants that fall under Category 1 group (B) are for persons who are self supporting. These persons Minister Jacoba said has to register at the Chamber of Commerce as small business entrepreneurs (Sole Proprietorship). The Minister said these persons must go to the Chamber and register and when the registration is complete they can then proceed to the Salvation Army Building as of August 9th. Hasselhoef said the Chamber of Commerce is currently making preparations to have a separate window in place to handle the BTA candidates. Hence there is a short delay in accepting the category 1 (B0 forms. Hasselhoef said that persons who registered for the sole proprietorship cannot sign for any other person. Persons such as gardeners, cleaners and other workers who are working petty jobs for several persons or entities are the ones that fall under this category.
The Minister said for persons who were given the Category 2 BTA permit they would receive a standard one year permit which is renewable and the applicants will be subjected to pay the normal processing fees as stipulated by the island government. The applicants that fall under Category 2 group "A" have to submit the following documents. A complete and signed BT application form, copy of a valid and authentic passport of each family member, copy of the current residence permit BT of each family member, declaration of work of employer (s) together with copies of passport, proof of payment fees at labor department, signed guarantee by the employer, when family members statement of guarantee for each must be signed by the employer of the applicant, extract of chamber of commerce of the company, personal crib number of the main applicant, official entry statement from the school of the school aged children (4-18 years) and children above 18 that are still studying.
Persons falling under group D are for those persons currently studying on St. Maarten.
These applicants would have to submit a complete and sign BT application form, copy of valid passport, copy of current Temporary BT permit, official entry statement from the education institution the applicant is attending, statement of guarantee signed by the guarantor or proof of sufficient financial resources.
State Secretary for Justice Ernie Simmons has called on the BTA recipients to monitor the news and to make sure they follow instructions in order for them to get their status regulated. Simmons said the BTA procedure is a once in a lifetime process and everyone who has been living on the islands illegally should take the opportunity to now and regulate themselves now. He cautioned that the opportunity given now by the Minister of Justice cannot happen after 10/10/10 when the Netherlands Antilles is dismantled.
