Philipsburg:--- The Bureau of the Ombudsman has started a public campaign announced Ombudsman Nilda Arduin Lynch at a press conference on Monday. Arduin Lynch said the public awareness campaigned kicked off on Monday and will continue throughout the month of March. The purpose of the campaign is to inform the general public of the intention of the Ombudsman Bureau to start receiving complaints from April 2, 2012. Arduin Lynch also introduced the logo of the Ombudsman on Monday to the media operatives on St. Maarten.The bureau of the Ombudsman acquired additional staff including a detaché from the Netherlands who will be assisting St. Maarten for the next six months. The detaché Jos de Bruijn along with the legal staff of the bureau Kim Huisman will be assisting the two complaint officers of the Ombudsman Bureau as of April 2, 2012. Arduin Lynch said the complaint officers will be receiving guidance and assistance with the taking of complaints from the general public. Persons interested in filing complaints at the Bureau of the Ombudsman can do so on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10am to 2pm each day starting April 2, 2012.
The objective of the campaign is to make sure the general public knows the competencies of the Ombudsman Bureau. Arduin Lynch said that members of the public also have to know the procedures that they have to follow when filing complaints with her bureau. Complaints she said must be signed by the complainant since they are not authorized to investigate anonymous complaints unless the investigations are initiated by the Ombudsman.
Arduin Lynch said the two additional staff members both of whom are attorneys will provide the necessary training to her staff they will also be providing senior legal advice to the bureau and work on special assignments.