(Willemstad, Curacao) This afternoon, at the Marriott Hotel, Minister Duncan signed two covenants with the unions representing civil servants, confirming agreement with regards to Social Charters for emerging countries Curacao and Sint Maarten. These documents were signed in the presence of Prime Minister, Mrs. Emily de Jongh-Elhage, Commissioners Mrs. Zita Jesus-Leito (Curacao) and Mr. Xavier Blackman (St. Maarten).
The Social Charters contain the conditions under which the civil servants of the respective island territories Curacao and Sint Maarten, as well as of the federal government will be transferred and enter into the employment of the new countries Curacao and St. Maarten. The signing of the covenants is required under the new federal ordinance on collective bargaining for civil servants, which went into effect in 2008.
The basis for the social charters was established in a conference at the Maho Beach Hotel in December 2007, chaired by Minister Duncan and attended by representatives of the aforementioned unions and island territories as well as the Netherlands, for the BES-islands. On December 8, 2007 a document containing the points of departure for the transfer of the civil servants to the new entities was initialed by the participants and Minister Duncan.
By Administrative Agreement of November 24, 2008 signed by representatives of the island territories of Curacao and Sint Maarten with the Government of the Netherlands Antilles the aforementioned points of departure were ratified and agreed upon with the governments involved.
While the negotiations for the social charters occurred under the auspices of Minister Duncan as Minister of Constitutional and Home Affairs, the actual negotiations were conducted by Commissioners Jesus-Leito and Blackman for their respective island governments, thereby insuring that all concerned parties were involved and in agreement. This consequently provides full guarantee to all civil servants in this constitutional process.
We congratulate the unions ABVO, STrAF, NAPB and WICSU with their accomplishment in representation of their membership as well as all civil servants, who are now guaranteed protection and fair treatment in their transition to their new jobs in the new entities. Congratulations and gratitude is also extended to Commissioners Jesus-Leito and Blackman for their outstanding work on behalf of their Executive councils.
We make use of this opportunity to thank our support staff, all experts and the presidency and secretariat of the CGOA for their assistance, expertise and advice, without which the documents executed, would not have been created.
The social charters now go to the Island councils of Curacao and Sint Maarten for approval and convergence into island ordinances -- legal regulations governing the transfer of civil servants into the service of the new countries. We shall, in subsequent notes, discuss the contents of the social charters.
