Rogers said that he has received several phone calls from his colleagues and NAPB members who are requesting information on their scales. He said because of the queries he decided to make it known that the three unions that are representing the police are scheduled to meet with the Minister this Thursday where they will further discuss the concerns of the police.
Rogers said prior to St. Maarten achieving its country status several information sessions were held for St. Maarten's civil servants that were working for the former Netherlands Antilles. Those meetings he said were organized by the former Minister of Justice of the former Netherlands Antilles and the former Minister of Constitutional Affairs for Country St. Maarten.
Rogers explained that during those meetings and information sessions numerous questions were posed about the legal status (RECHTS-POSITIE) for the police and immigration officers as well as for the civil servants working with the police (Ambtenaar van Politie) and they were told that the negotiations will continue after the status change so that a possible solution could be found.
"It was also agreed upon that the local unions would have been included from the off set in these negotiations. Approaching 10-10'10, it was then explained to us that because of the time constraint, the Police Officers, immigration Officers and all civil servants working for the Police, will go over as is to country St. Maarten until further notice," Rogers said. The NAPB president said they were of the opinion that the police, immigration and civil servants will be transferred as they were under the former Netherlands Antilles. The NAPB President said to date the negotiations never resumed and they were shocked to learn that the legal status for all police, immigration officers and civil servants working with the police was ratified on June 30th 2011 without the input of the unions. Rogers said that the current Minister of Justice Roland Duncan implemented the status dated back to the year 2000. Rogers said back then when they realized that the 2000 status was not feasible they renegotiated it in the year 2005. Rogers said in light of the negotiations some changes were made and dated back to January 1 2006. But the St. Maarten Minister of Justice did not take the changes into consideration when he ratified the document. He said based on the union's information the changes were totally disregarded.
The NAPB president said in light of the new developments the three unions representing the police sent a letter to the Minister of Justice indicating to him that they are not in agreement with the legal status (RECHTS-POSITIE) that was ratified (AFGEKONDIGD) for the Police Force in country St. Maarten, because this did not come about according to the agreements that were made, due to the fact that they (the local unions) were not included. Rogers said during the meeting on Thursday the following points will be discussed.
- That it was mentioned to us before 10-10-'10 that no Police Officers, Immigration Officers and Civil Servants working with then Police Force Police of the Netherlands Antilles, going over to the country St. Maarten will not lose no benefits whatsoever pertaining to their LEGAL-STAUS (RECHTS-POSITIE), and we will remain by this.
- That agreements pertaining to the working of OVER-TIME is regulated internationally and we will remain by these agreements.
- That all outstanding issues will be brought up and discussed once more with the Minister of Justice.
- All results arising from this meeting will be made known to our members of the NAPB-St. Maarten.
