PHILIPSBURG:--- Last week, Honorable Prime Minister Jacobs announced that the Council of Ministers dispatched a letter to State Secretary Van Huffelen requesting that the imposed 12.5% cuts from the salaries of civil servants and workers of government-owned companies be removed. She went on to state that the request would have to be discussed in the Kingdom Council of Ministers and St. Maarten is hoping for a positive response.
On April 11th, 2022, Prime Minister Jacobs asserted before Parliament that the Dutch State "have deployed many tactics, Mr. Chairman, including bullying, misdirection, and improper application of laws and powers" which violates St. Maarten's right to self-determination. According to the Dutch State "the right of self-determination of peoples is not exhausted by a one-off exercise, but a permanent, continuing, universal and inalienable right with a peremptory character." There are no deviations or derogations from the aforementioned "peremptory" norm (dwingend recht). As the right to self-determination is a peremptory norm (dwingend recht), requiring an increased level of scrutiny, Pro Soualiga is therefore hereby summoning the Prime Minister and State Secretary to inform us within fifteen days whether they will comply with the positive obligation outlined by the European Court of Human Rights to:
a. Have an independent body such as the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague determine whether the consent to COHO reflects the genuine free will of the people of St. Maarten and what the consequences are of such a breach.
b. Have the same Court of Arbitration determine whether COHO violates St. Maarten’s right to self-determination and the consequences of such a brief.
Pro Soualiga Foundation
