THE HAGUE:--- On December 6, 2024, a delegation led by Harlec Doran, Chairman of the Social Economic Council (SER) of Sint Maarten, made an introductory visit to the SER in The Hague. The delegation was welcomed by Prof. Dr. Kim Putters, Chairman of the SER of the Netherlands. This meeting marked another significant step toward reestablishing the close collaboration between the two advisory bodies, originally initiated in 2012 by René A. Richardson, the first Chairman of SER Sint Maarten, and Alexander Rinnooy Kan, then Chairman of SER Netherlands.
The visit followed a 16-month period of inactivity for the SER Sint Maarten, stemming from delays with the appointments of the members due to a prolonged dispute with an employer organization and consultations with the government and the International Labor Organization (ILO). During his presentation in The Hague, Mr. Doran provided a transparent account of the challenges facing SER Sint Maarten. Chairman Putters reiterated his commitment to supporting SER Sint Maarten, emphasizing the importance of solution-oriented dialogue and the strengthening of SER legislation to ensure the Board’s continued ability to fulfill its legislative mandate to the country and the people of Sint Maarten.
The Chairman was accompanied by Acting Secretary-General/Senior Policy Advisor,
drs. Sharon Arnell who also highlighted the importance of collaboration between the secretariats. "The working relationship is vital for SER Sint Maarten,” said Arnell. “With decades of experience, the SER model of the Netherlands brings a wealth of knowledge and best practices that can strengthen SER Sint Maarten’s advisory role and its task to the government and Parliament of the country. "The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to enhancing cooperation and maintaining dialogue on key issues, including employer representation on the Board of SER Sint Maarten. The delegation of SER Sint Maarten consisted of Chairman Harlec Doran, Vice Chairman Judensy Coffie, independent expert Leonie Bryson, and Acting Secretary-General/Senior Policy Advisor Dr. Sharon Arnell. The SER, a cornerstone in Sint Maarten’s legislative process, resumed its activities a few months back in August of this year. The SER finds it important to provide an account of the status of the requested advice received last year. The advisory body is currently working on and has finalized several important legislative topics:
- Public Transportation and Bus Tariffs: Finalized advice on amendments to the draft national decree from the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunication. Awaiting submission to the government.
- Amendment of the Civil Code Book 7, Title 10, addressing temporary employment contracts and employment status. Finalized advice. The Board has set deliberations for the first quarter of 2025.
- Introductory of Visitor’s Tax on Sint Maarten: Finalized advice on the introduction of a visitor’s tax. The Board has set deliberations for the first quarter of 2025.
- Early Childhood Development Funding: Currently in deliberations by the Board, the advice was requested by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport.
- Sustainable Affordable Access to Health Care Act (SAAHA): draft advice currently gathering updated data.
Despite significant progress in recent months, the SER has encountered challenges due to the absence of a national decree for its chairman. This decree, mandated under Article 21, Paragraph 1, of the National Ordinance Social Economic Council (AB 2023 no. 38), is a prerequisite for the chairman to formally sign off on advisory reports. The SER eagerly anticipates the issuance of the national decree for Chairman Doran, a step that will streamline the advisory process and enable timely delivery of recommendations to the government and Parliament of Sint Maarten.
Pictured from left to right: Judensy Coffie, vice chairman SER Sint Maarten, Prof. Dr. Kim Putters, chairman SER Netherlands, Harlec Doran, chairman SER Sint Maarten.
