PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) from three factions have jointly requested an urgent public meeting of Parliament with Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA Richard Panneflek on the state of affairs as it relates to what they refer to as the “mass illegal labour dismissals” in connection with coronavirus COVID-19. MPs also want elucidation on food packages distributed thus far to residents by government.
The MPs said in their request letter dated April 20, that many employees have received termination letters from their employers since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These companies have not followed the legal route regarding dismissals, which is to file for permission to terminate the labour agreement at the Labour Department and to follow all procedures stipulated by law,” the request letter reads.
“As government is putting together a stimulus package in efforts to help with the negative impact caused by COVID-19 pandemic, such action by these employers is deemed premature. The Minister of VSA is hereby requested to provide Members of Parliament with a complete state of affairs regarding these illegal labour dismissals.”
The MPs said also that many persons are now no longer gainfully employed and as such, together with persons who already were in need, no longer had the means to purchase groceries before the mandatory lockdown, resulting in an outcry to government for aid. Government responded by making food packages available to persons who applied for aid. More than 9,000 persons have reportedly applied for the packages.
“The Minister of VSA is hereby requested to provide an elucidation on the distribution of before-mentioned food packages.”
Requesting the meeting were United St. Maarten Party (US Party) MPs Claudius “Toontje” Buncamper and Akeem Arrindell; Party For Progress (PFP) MPs Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson; and National Alliance (NA) MP Christophe Emmanuel.
