Philipsburg:--- The Brooks Tower Accord (BTA) process which was initiated by former Minister of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles Magali Jacoba will come to an end on St. Maarten Thursday December 30th announced St. Maarten's Minister of Justice Roland Duncan.Duncan told reporters at the weekly council of ministers press briefing that he addressed about two or three hundred persons around midnight as they queued up to be registered on Wednesday.
Duncan said the civil servants working on the BTA process worked up to about 9pm on Tuesday night and he has no idea on what time those workers would leave on Wednesday and Thursday night, thus making him very proud of the civil servants that are executing the process.
Minister Duncan said he cannot think of any place in the world let alone the Caribbean who have shown such tolerance in trying to assist people who came to the island by making them legal. The justice Minister further explained the BTA process started in 2009 and its finally coming to an end on Thursday December 30th 2010. The Minister said it is his hope that St. Maarten would not have to go through this process again as those persons who have been made legal can also contribute to the social aspects of the island on which they have lived and enjoyed.
Duncan said come 2011 the immigration controls will be structured, he said he is busy setting up a full fledge immigration and naturalization service which will have its own controllers, detectives and administration this department he said will control the borders structurally. The Minister said while he is not announcing how the raids and controls will be done he is making a call on all employers to legalise their workers. The Minister said much of the people who are rushing to get registered through the BTA are because their employers have refused to sign the guarantees and to cooperate with their workers. Duncan said he does not believe that these employers are not able to find qualified people on St. Maarten while they are have people working for them illegally who do not participate in the social system. "These people don't pay social security, they don't participate in the pension scheme, while some of them don't pay taxes." The employers need to understand that if they want to participate in any country it is not only about them getting rich but they must contribute back to society. Duncan said while many people are screaming about the increase in the Turn over Taxes, they should ask themselves how many people are participating by paying their dues and are helping to carry the load.