From left: Alberto Bute, Claire Elshot-Aventurin and Raymond Jessurun.
PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten Anti-Poverty Platform said during a press conference on Thursday that the 2020 Budget – which was unanimously approved by Members of Parliament (MPs) on Tuesday – has “no meat” for the poor and needy, and poverty will become worse as a result.
“The explanation provided by the Minister of Finance [Ardwell Irion – Ed.] that to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the St. Maarten Support and [Relief] Plan (SSRP) was included in the budget. It cannot be considered meat for the poor and the needy,” said the Anti-Poverty Platform.
The platform said the payroll-support programme, which grants workers and self-employed sole proprietors a minimum of NAf. 1,150 per month, is less than the minimum wage of NAf. 1,560 per month.
Moreover, workers in the informal sector cannot qualify for financial assistance. Majority of these persons are migrants without permanent residence.
“With the more than 13,000 poor and needy households in St. Maarten, this income deterioration and with no meat in the budget of 2020, poverty will only become worse,” said the Anti-Poverty Platform.
The platform also criticised National Alliance (NA) MP Solange Duncan’s motion, which resolves to temporarily reduce ministers’ and MPs’ salaries by five per cent.
“How much are the politicians giving back to the people of St. Maarten? With the 10 per cent voluntary cut, and with the five per cent extra which was adopted by accepting the motion of MP Solange Duncan, from a US $10,000 monthly salary, a 15 per cent cut is $1,500 [less] a month.
“If the salary cut of the St. Maarten politicians goes to the more than 13,000 poor and needy households in St. Maarten … every household will get $2.50 per month or $0.08 dollar per day for each poor and needy household.
“… Is $2.50 per month what poor and needy households need to not be in poverty? Is $2.50 per month showing solidarity with the people?” questioned the Anti-Poverty Platform.
