VROMI Minister Egbert Doran and his support staff during the public meeting in Parliament on Wednesday, February 2.
~ Policy aims to ensure equal opportunity for general public, says Doran ~
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Egbert Doran presented a draft policy regarding the issuance of long-lease land to the Members of Parliament (MPs) in a public meeting on Wednesday, February 2. This draft policy outlines certain conditions and procedures for applicants wishing to obtain domain land, to ensure equal opportunity.
The public meeting was held for an update by the VROMI minister on a policy regarding the issuance of long-lease land and all other resolutions mentioned in the motion presented by MPs Raeyhon Peterson and William Marlin on October 20, 2021.
Doran and his support staff came to Parliament to present a draft policy to the eight MPs present.
“Within the ministry, the Department of Domain Affairs is tasked with the management of domain land, which includes the issuance of long-lease land. The department is a revenue-generating stream for the ministry and the government of St. Maarten on the whole,” said Doran.
According to Doran, the Department of Domain Affairs began with the establishment of the land issuance policy to ensure adequate issuance of domain land in early 2021. “The policy aims on ensuring equal opportunity for the general public to obtain domain land, while upholding the integrity of the ministry,” he said.
He said he is pleased to announce the first long-lease policy in 60 years.
The draft policy outlines the conditions and procedures for the land-issuance process. It makes a distinction between natural persons and legal entities wishing to acquire long-lease domain land.
According to the draft policy, natural persons will have to be 18 years or older, registered in the civil registry of St. Maarten and in possession of Dutch nationality to apply for a long lease. Applicants must also provide proof of sufficient financial resources to develop the land within one year.
Additionally, a natural person or their life partner may not have any immovable property registered in ownership or leasehold at the Kadaster department, nor have been previously issued immovable land in leasehold on St. Maarten.
Legal entities will have to be registered at the Chamber of Commerce of St. Maarten and must be in possession of a valid St. Maarten establishment permit to apply for long-lease domain land. Legal entities also must provide proof of sufficient financial means to execute the desired purpose of the land within one year.
Finally, the requesting legal entity, its relevant directors and their life partners, as well as any other legal entities in the name of the applicant, may not have any immovable property registered in ownership or leasehold at the Kadaster department, nor have been previously issued immovable land in leasehold on St. Maarten.
If the draft policy is approved by Parliament, applicants will be refused if their desired development of the land and/or water is undesirable in view of the public interest in terms of spatial planning or zoning plans. Applications for land already in leasehold or involved in a lawsuit will be rejected, as will applications for parcels that have been rendered unsuitable or harmful to nature and the environment.
Some applicants will receive priority if the draft policy is approved. Natural persons with a social rental home or companies with social functions will be given priority over an earlier application, explained Doran.
A public drawing of lots will take place when three or more requests have been made for the same parcel of land and will be supervised by a civil-law notary, reads the draft policy document.
“The Ministry of VROMI highly anticipates that the articles as outlined in this policy ensure that the issuance of domain land in long lease is based on equality, transparency and accountability. I look forward to receiving feedback from the Members of Parliament so that this process can be completed, and we can collectively move on to the next challenge,” concluded Doran.
After consideration and discussion, the majority of MPs present voted for MP Rolando Brison’s proposal to close the public meeting after Doran’s presentation of the draft policy.
“This is a very fluid and technical topic that I believe needs to be handled in the committees of Parliament,” Brison said.
Therefore, the draft policy will be discussed in the Central- or VROMI Committee.
