Topic 1: Why the Food Prices on SXM are higher than in Curacao and Aruba?
Topic 2: State Secretary Knops will not withdraw the cost cutting measures!
Topic 3: What should be the development of the people of St Maarten?
Topic 4: Checklist to evaluate governing program and Dutch proposal for reform
Topic 1: Why the Food Prices on SXM are higher than in Curacao and Aruba?
Under the heading “INVESTIGATING HIGH FOOD PRICES TOP PRIORITY FOR MINISTRY OF TEATT” the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunication (TEATT) on July 1st issued a press release. The ministry announced that they are looking into why food prices on the island remain persistently high in comparison to Aruba and Curaçao, despite having similar economies. Over the period 2010-2016 St. Maarten’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by more than 50%, while Aruba and Curaçao experienced lower increases over the same period, respectively +11% and +20%.
How to explain that the food prices in Aruba and Curacao increased much less than in St Maarten? Aruba and Curacao have higher shipping costs and import duties. St. Maarten has no import-duty and a lower shipping cost. Why then the prices in St Maarten are still relatively higher than in Aruba and Curacao?
NOT THE SHIPPING COSTS
A study on price developments and logistics in the region commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2017 just before Irma struck the island analyzed St. Maarten’s import supply chain and concluded that there was an effective competition, with steady imports from the EU and the US. The report concluded that there were a sufficient number of operators, which minimized the risk of artificially high prices within the shipping market.
TOO FEW FOOD DISTRIBUTORS
The report expressed doubts about the degree of competition in St. Maarten’s food distribution market. The report concluded that there exists an oligopoly situation dominated by a few very large players who not only sell at the wholesale level but also compete at the retail level as well.
Last year the Consumers Coalition proofed this point in a 4-month pilot program. With the Affordable Health and Nutrition program everybody could experience that it is possible to import quality fruits and vegetables which are more durable and for affordable prices!
WHAT IS THE MINISTRY OF TEATT GOING TO DO?
- In the press release we could read that one of the ministry’s priorities is to prevent price gouging and to promote fair competition. The Ministry is almost 10 year in existence. How the Ministry prevent the prices to go up? How the Ministry promoted fair competition? The St Maarten Consumers through the Affordable Health Food and Nutrition pilot program has proven how better durable quality produce could be imported from the region for affordable prices! Food importers and distributors are not interested to provide our consumers with better durable quality produce for affordable prices
- The Ministry of TEATT will ensure that there is constant monitoring of food prices to safeguard fair competition on the island within St. Maarten. For years the Ministry of TEATT is exercising price control and the prices did not go down, but increased higher than in Aruba and Curacao.
- The Ministry of TEATT will keep the public informed about food price developments and encourages consumers to be informed as much as possible so they can make better choices for themselves and their families. We could see every so now and then a publication in the newspaper of a price comparison that took place in a few supermarkets. No analysis why the food price development in the supermarket over a period of time is increasing.
- The Minister of TEATT said to continue consultations with stakeholders. They mentioned the Sint Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA), the Chamber of Commerce, and the Indian Merchants Association (IMA). The St Maarten Consumers Coalition was not mentioned in the press release.
As Consumers Coalition we will request a meeting with the honorable Minister of TEATT to discuss how the consumers in St Maarten can be assisted in getting more affordable and durable quality produce locally grown and/or imported from the region.
Topic 2: State Secretary Knops will not withdraw the cost cutting measures!
On July 2nd State Secretary Knops answered the letter of the united unions in the Chamber of Labor Unions of June 10th which was delivered through the Dutch representative on the island in Front Street. The State Secretary denied the request of the Chamber of Labor Unions to withdraw the cost cutting measures imposed on the government of St Maarten. He refused to agree with our analysis that the conditions imposed on the workers of the three Caribbean islands in the Kingdom were violating our human rights! State Secretary Knops wrote that the decisions to cut were autonomous decisions taken by the governments of the islands and therefore he referred us to contact our own government with our concerns!
Well we have contacted the Council of Ministers! Until now we did not receive the promised answers to the letters of the WICLU from March 31st , May 28th and the last one of June 19th . Two short meetings to dialogue with the unions took place which did not result in a written agreement in the interest of the workers and the more than 13.000 poor and needy households in St Maarten. The Council of Ministers is still busy implementing the measures of State Secretary Knops and the Kingdom government!
Yesterday the WICLU unions were called to a meeting with the Council of Ministers were we were informed about the position of the Council of Ministers regarding the new entity which State Secretary Knops and the Dutch government want to impose on the governments of the three countries in the Kingdom as a condition for further liquidity support!
We heard all the arguments how the new Dutch condition of the entity is violating our local laws and our Charter of the Kingdom! The over 200+ pages document which will be decided upon today in the Kingdom Council of Ministers meeting in the Hague, were confidential! What were the additional conditions to be implemented in the coming 7 years by the three Dutch “wise” experts?
Based on the Declaration on the Right to development signed by the Kingdom in 1986 10 issues were brought to the attention of the Council of Ministers. These issues we will illustrate in a while. To evaluate the Dutch proposal these issues have to be considered and should be in the governing program of this government and in any development proposal offered to our government by the Dutch government!
As Anti-Poverty Platform we will continue to support the unions in the dialogue with the Council of Ministers to eradicate the poverty among the more than 13.000 households in ST Maarten and for all workers and their families to realize all their human rights!
Topic 3: What should be the development of the people of ST Maarten?
As informed the United Unions have requested a dialogue with the Council of Ministers and with Parliament of ST Maarten to reach to a consensus on the way forward with ST Maarten. The status of the worker’s rights and the human rights of them and their households are still not fully realized! The unions with support of the Anti-Poverty Platform are championing for the people of St Maarten to get an equal social protection floor as in the Netherlands (minimum wages should be living wages, social pensions and social allowances should not be poverty income, but should be at least equal to the ones in the Netherlands).
The Council of Ministers in all their press conferences until now did not explain which targets and objectives they want for our people to achieve! As Anti-Poverty Platform we have been very consistent in our demand to eradicate the poverty and to get the human rights of the people in the more than 13.000 poor and needy households respected on an equal footing in the Kingdom!
Now the Council of Ministers is asking the support of the unions in the fight and discussions they have with the Dutch government! Statements of individual Ministers of the Council of Ministers as “we are in this together”, “it is not the Council of Ministers against the unions”, have to create the impression with the general public that the Anti-Poverty Platform, the unions and the government are on one page!
We will be on one page if we have a signed MOU (memorandum of understanding) with the Council of Ministers and with the Parliament! We presented 10 issues to the Council of Ministers yesterday based on the Declaration on the Right to Development. The Right to development is a human right which counts for each individual as well for our people since 1986 when it has been codified by the United Nations and signed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The right to development includes the full realization of all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights!
- What is the status of this right to development of the people of St Maarten today 34 years after the signing of this United Nations Declaration?
- What is the status of the realization of the civil and political rights as well as the economic social and cultural rights of our people in the Kingdom of the Netherlands since these rights have been ratified 41 years ago by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1979?
- How is the governing program addressing this right to development?
- How is the National Recovery and Resilience Plan prepared by the World Bank Group, and how is the Dutch proposal for structural reform in the Caribbean countries of the Kingdom contributing or obstructing the right to development?
We have not reached to a consensus yet with the Council of Ministers and our representatives in Parliament as you can see based on our questions just mentioned.
Topic 4: Checklist To Evaluate Governing program and Dutch Proposal for Structural reform.
In the meeting called by the Council of Ministers were last minute the unions and the Chamber of Commerce were invited, the Chamber of Labor Unions brought the following 10 issues to the attention of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.
- THE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT AND FULL REALIZATION OF ALL HUMAN RIGHTS
According to art 1.1 of the Declaration of the Right to Development (RTD), the RTD is an INALIENABLE HUMAN RIGHT. By virtue of this right every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, and in which development ALL HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS CAN BE FULLY REALIZED.” The persons and people in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have not realized this right to development, neither all human rights or freedoms to the same human development extent as the people in the Netherlands. The full realization of these rights on an equal footing in the Kingdom of the Netherlands should be in the Governing Program 2020-2024 and in the multiannual budgets as of 2020
- Is it the objective of our governing program and of the Dutch proposal to realize the right to development of the people of Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten to an equal level as in the Netherlands?
The people in Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba after 10 years integration as a special municipality of the Netherlands have still not realized all their human rights to an equal level as in the Netherlands.
- Is it the objective of the governing program 2020-2024 and the Dutch proposal to fully realize all human rights of the people of Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten to be equal to the one of the people of the Netherlands?
- RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND FULL SOVEREIGNITY OVER ALL WEALTH AND RESOURCES
According to art 1.2 of the Declaration on the Right to Development (RTD), the human right to development also implies the FULL REALIZATION OF THE RIGHT OF PEOPLES TO SELF-DETERMINATION. This includes, subject to the relevant provisions of both International Covenants on Human Rights (the Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic Social and Cultural Rights), the exercise of their INALIENABLE RIGHT TO FULL SOVEREIGNTY OVER ALL THEIR NATURAL WEALTH AND RESOURCES.” The people of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have not fully realized their right to self-determination. They do not have a full measure of self-governance, and have a limited degree of sovereignty over all their natural resources. The recent motion adopted in Parliament to finalize the decolonization process and fully realize the right to full measure of self-governance, is this in the governing program?
- Is it the objective of the governing program Dutch proposal to fully realize the right to self-determination of the people of Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten?
- How the people of St Maarten will be guaranteed the right to full sovereignty over the natural wealth and resources of the former Netherlands Antilles (in the Saba Bank, the territorial waters surrounding Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao)
- HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX
The Netherlands Rank among the top 10 best human development indices of the world based on the United Nations Human Development Index during 1980-2013. The governing program 2020-2024 should target the same human development index as the Netherlands or higher.
- Is it the objective of the governing program and the Dutch proposal to realize the same human development index as the Netherlands for the people of Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten on the following indicators: Health, Education, Income/Command over resources, Inequality, Gender, Poverty, Employment and Vulnerability, Human Security, Trade and Financial Flows, Mobility/Communication, Environment and Demography?
- APPROPRIATE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICIES.
According to art 2.3 of the Declaration of the Right to Development, the State the Kingdom of the Netherlands has the right and the duty to formulate appropriate national development policies, that aim at the constant improvement of the well-being of the entire population and of all individuals, on the basis of their active, free and meaningful participation in development and in the fair distribution of the benefits resulting there from. Since 1986 the Kingdom of the Netherlands has not realized an equal improvement of wellbeing of peoples in all parts of the Kingdom. The National Development Plan discussions in SXM should be continued, revised and implemented in this governing program taking into consideration art 2.3 of the Declaration on the Right to development.
- Is it the objective of the governing program and the Dutch proposal to fully realize an equal wellbeing of the people of Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten to the level of the people in the Netherlands?
- DEVELOPMENT IS A STATE RESPONSIBILITY
According to art 3.1 of the Declaration on the Right to Development, the CREATION OF CONDITIONS FAVOURABLE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLES AND INDIVIDUALS is the primary responsibility of their State, IN OTHER WORDS OF THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS. The right to development is an inalienable human right and EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR DEVELOPMENT is a prerogative both of nations and of individuals who make up nations. The national development plans of Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten to develop their people to the same level as the people in the Netherlands have not received the commitment and support from the State government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
- Is it the objective of the Dutch proposal to fully realize an equal development level for the people of Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten to the level of the people in the Netherlands?
- ELIMINATE VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS
According to article 4 of the Declaration of the Right to Development STATES shall take resolute steps to ELIMINATE THE MASSIVE AND FLAGRANT VIOLATIONS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS of peoples and human beings affected by situations such as those resulting from apartheid, ALL FORMS OF RACISM AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, COLONIALISM, FOREIGN DOMINATION AND OCCUPATION, aggression, foreign interference and threats against national sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity, threats of war and refusal to recognize the fundamental right of peoples to self-determination. The Kingdom of the Netherlands has not yet eliminated human rights violations in the State. The recent “solidarity cuts in remunerations” conditions imposed on the three Caribbean countries of the Kingdom is another act of “racial discrimination”. From the recent statements of appointed officials of the three Caribbean countries in the Kingdom the Dutch proposal of structural reform the new entity is a form of re-colonization and foreign interference in the autonomy of the Caribbean countries in the Kingdom
Sint Maarten (and the other Caribbean islands in the Kingdom) should look for collaboration with the CARICOM Reparations movement.
- Is it the objective of the governing program and the Dutch proposal to eliminate all violations of human rights?
- ELIMINATE OBSTACLES TO DEVELOPMENT
According to art 6.2 and 6.3 of the Declaration on the Right to Development (RTD) STATES SHOULD TAKE STEPS TO ELIMINATE OBSTACLES TO DEVELOPMENT resulting from failure to observe civil and political rights, as well as economic, social and cultural rights. All human rights and fundamental freedoms are indivisible and interdependent. EQUAL ATTENTION AND URGENT CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE IMPLEMENTATION, PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF CIVIL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS. The elimination of the obstacles to development should be included in the Governing Program
- Is it the objective of the governing program and the Dutch proposal to eliminate all obstacles to development?
- NECESSARY MEASURES
According to art 8.1 of the Declaration of the Right to Development STATES should undertake, AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, ALL NECESSARY MEASURES FOR THE REALIZATION OF THE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT and shall ensure, inter alia, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL IN THEIR ACCESS TO BASIC RESOURCES, EDUCATION, HEALTH SERVICES, FOOD, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT AND THE FAIR DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME. Effective measures should be undertaken to ensure that women have an active role in the development process. In the governing program these measures should be mentioned to be realised
- Is it the objective of the governing program and the Dutch proposal to take all necessary measures for the realization of the RTD?
- ERADICATE ALL SOCIAL INJUSTICES
Art 8.2 of the Declaration on the Right to Development APPROPRIATE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REFORMS should be carried out with a view to ERADICATE ALL SOCIAL INJUSTICES.
- Is it the objective of the governing program and the Dutch proposal to take all appropriate economic and social reforms to eradicate all social injustices (poverty, health care quality and packages, discrimination, etc)?
- PROPOSALS FOR FULL REALIZATION OF OUR RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT
According to art 10 of the Declaration on the Right to Development steps should be taken to ensure the FULL EXERCISE AND PROGRESSIVE ENHANCEMENT OF THE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT. This includes since 1986 the formulation, adoption and implementation of policy, legislative and other measures at the national and international levels. The results of more than 13.000 households in poverty (9 of the 10 households) illustrates that after 34 years the State has failed to provide these households with the right to development!
- Is it the objective of the governing program and the Dutch proposal to take steps to ensure the full exercise and progressive enhancement of the Right to Development?
