Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs and Justice Minister Anna Richardson with some of the union representatives at the meeting.
PHILIPSBURG--The Council of Ministers on Friday outlined to the unified unions of St. Maarten, the conditions set by the Dutch government for the second tranche of liquidity support loan for St. Maarten.
Government sought to explain the 12.5 per cent personnel cost-cutting condition and other conditions that will negatively affect civil servants.
Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs provided an update on the events leading up to the proposal, while Finance Minister Ardwell Irion explained St. Maarten’s financial situation and the need for government to make budget cuts.
Government had attempted to achieve this in recent weeks. However, unions were vehemently against this. “While this is definitely a last resort, and one not taken lightly by the government of St. Maarten, it was necessary to secure funding for our SSRP (St. Maarten Stimulus and Relief Plan),” it was stated in a press release.
SSRP provides temporary financial support for three months - April, May and June – for the unemployed and underemployed due to COVID-19. The plan provides payroll support for businesses and support for entrepreneurs. “The harsh reality is that it would be unlikely to fulfil the obligations to the SSRP without taking the loan proposed by the Netherlands,” Irion said.
It was agreed after much deliberation that government would have provided unions with a written overview of the conditions as provided by the Dutch in writing over this past weekend. Irion was also to prepare a revised proposal taking the current situation at hand, while Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs would ensure that the unions would also be updated on the Pension Reform law and any other aspects of the loan proposal which had an impact on civil servants.
Government will continue to meet with stakeholders in the coming days and weeks, including its employees, as well as government-owned companies, ZBOs (independent governing entities) and other subsidised entities to inform, dialogue and involve them in the planning moving forward as efforts continue to get financial assistance for the most vulnerable.
“Government is seeking understanding and a sense of community from all the stakeholders mentioned to join forces with us to assist the most vulnerable in our society,” Jacobs said.
Unions represented at the meeting were Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU), Windward Islands Civil Servants Union/Private Sector Union (WICSU-PSU), ABVO-St. Maarten and NAPB police union. The meeting was chaired by the Committee for Civil Servants Unions (CCSU). The meeting stemmed from union representatives seeking an audience earlier in the day with Jacobs, Irion, and Labour Minister Richard Panneflek.
