Report on crime also points
out problems with licences
PHILIPSBURG--As far as the soon-to-be-officially-published WODC report could determine, for a long time it was easier to obtain a director’s licence than a work permit. “The impression is that the procedure for the director’s licence is being misused to provide not only the director of the company with a permit, but also the employees,” the report stated.
However, authorities in St. Maarten often have no clue who they are dealing with or whether suspicions that certain investors and other businessmen are or have been involved in organised or other forms of crime were based on the truth.
According to the WODC report “Organised crime and maintaining of the law in St. Maarten,” in general no investigation of new investors and other businesspersons in St. Maarten takes place.
The Secret Service of the Netherlands Antilles VNA verifies people’s criminal antecedents at the most, according to the investigators. Whether this verification takes place and if any data can be traced depends on the existence, level and accessibility of registries in the countries from which the persons originate.
“It’s by exception that background investigation takes place on request of the Lt. Governor,” the report stated. The issuance of directors’ licences plays a particular role in this matter, according to the investigators.
A business licence and a director’s licence are necessary to run a business. That means a foreign director of a private entity who has a director’s licence only has to apply for a temporary residency permit.
The foreigner receives a residence permit to function as director within his or her own business. According to the VNA, about 500 to 700 directors’ licences are issued in St. Maarten on an annual basis. “Because the number of licences is so high, the VNA restricts its investigation of the persons to an investigation of his or her antecedents,” the report stated.
