PHILIPSBURG--A team of lawyers and concerned citizens paid a courtesy visit to University of St. Martin (USM) Thursday in hopes of rekindling the decade-long initiative to start a law programme.
USM’s administration is hoping to offer law courses co-sponsored by University of Curaçao in September this year, and consolidate its own undergraduate pre-law programme by January 2019.
“We are getting back to where we left off before Irma and the 2018 Parliamentary elections,” said USM President Antonio Carmona Báez in reference to the draft MOUs that were meant to be signed by University of Curaçao, the Ministers of Finance and Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs.
Together with University of St. Maarten Foundation Chairwoman Valerie Giterson-Pantophlet and the University’s recently appointed Dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Rolinda Carter, Carmona welcomed the group consisting of longstanding members of the legal community.
Among them were Acting Governor Reynold Groeneveldt, Council of Advice Vice-President Mavis Brooks-Salmon, Ombudsman Nilda Arduin and prominent attorney Gaston Bell. Together with Dr. Rhoda Arrindell, Patricia Philips and former Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr., this law team presented a feasibility study to the community in June 2017.
Launching of the law programme under former USM president Francio Guadeloupe was announced in the local media just one week before Hurricane Irma made landfall in September.
“We are waiting for the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs and the Minister of Finance to meet with us and give the go-ahead so that we can start marketing the programme as soon as possible,” Carmona stated. “A lot of work and effort was put into preparing for this programme and we hope to execute this project for the benefit of the country St. Maarten.”
The law programme is geared towards preparing individuals interested in a legal career and those serving in public office who want to develop their knowledge in the field of law. The course catalogue will include graduate courses in Comparative Law, Dutch Caribbean Law and Criminal Justice in addition to undergraduate courses introducing the principles of law and government.
