PHILIPSBURG--Claire Elshot-Aventurin President of the Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Unions (WICLU) and Coordinator of the Anti-Poverty Platform representing workers on St. Maarten says the stimulus package does not support all persons affected by COVID-19.
In a live Facebook broadcast on Tuesday Elshot shared her views on behalf of WICLU about the proposed stimulus package and calls on other unions to peruse the proposed package thoroughly.
This live broadcast was held prior to the scheduled Parliament meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
Elshot said the current stimulus package does not reflect support for all persons affected by COVID-19 within the community. “Is it (stimulus) only businesses that are in good standing with SZV? Is it for large businesses that have a certain amount of workers?” she questioned.
She also noted that sole proprietorships such as buses, vendors, etc. would also qualify within the package. “But we are still lacking a large part of our economy and workers,” she pointed out.
She further called on all labour unions on St. Maarten to individually analyse not only the stimulus package, but to compare this package to that of countries within the Kingdom. “We (unions) have to first look at what the Kingdom is offering businesses and such within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. What are they offering to the BES (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba) islands? And in that respect, we (unions) have to rightfully demand equality,” she said.
In addressing fellow labour unions, she encouraged them to compare these different stimulus packages and in comparing each to one another to be critical of what St. Maarten has requested and what St. Maarten will receive.
