On August 2, the former Minister of Justice Magali Jacoba had sent a letter to the head of immigration Robert Barby and the former Lt. Governor Reynold Groeneveldt instructing them that all persons who were residing on St. Maarten prior to December 2001 must be treated equally to those persons who received their 3-year Brooks Tower Permit.
The letter of August 2 states that all persons who are registered on the island and working must show proof that they have been on the island prior to December 2001 uninterrupted before they can obtain a three year residency permit even if there are gaps in their permits.
Asked if he is willing to implement the same policy as the former Minister of Justice in order to ease the burden on regular workers Minister Duncan said he already met with the head of immigration and he is gathering information on how business is done. He said while he has not reached the stage of taking a decision on residency permits. Minister Duncan said there is need for them to do a broad discussion on immigration and labour before they take any type of long term decisions. "I am not privy to that letter, while I heard about it I have not read the letter as yet. However, if it is a decision then it will be respected in the interim, while the government of country St. Maarten reserves the right to change and or amend its policies." Minister Duncan said very shortly government will be conducting a total review of the immigration and labour policy.
Duncan said he already scheduled a meeting with the Minister of labour to discuss the procedures on labour and residency permits. He said currently St. Maarten does not have to answer to the federal government and as such the laws that regulate these permits has to be restructured into one set of laws.
In the meantime, Prime Minister Wescot Williams said government is already looking at the labour permit policy, she said governments' intention is to revamp and reform the policy. Wescot Williams said while the details of the discussion have not taken place, the intention is to revisit these policies now that the entire jurisdiction falls under St. Maarten.