Collectivité gives presentation
to members of NA Parliament
MARIGOT--President Frantz Gumbs gave President of the Netherlands Antilles Parliament Pedro Atacho and his parliamentary members a PowerPoint presentation on Thursday on the structure of the Collectivité, its objectives and current projects, and the evolutionary process from December 2003 to July 2007 that led to the French side’s new constitutional status.
Comparisons were also made between the current Collectivité and St. Martin’s former existence as a Commune, with the advantages and disadvantages that both present.
President of the Antillean Parliament Pedro Atacho said it also had been very interesting to hear St. Martin’s experience with having an Ultra-Peripheral Territory (UPT) status regarding the island’s relationship with Europe. Atacho considered the information received very useful for each Member of Parliament to take back to his or her island territory.
A study had been done about the pros and cons of a UPT status for the Netherlands Antilles, but it had been agreed that no decision on UPT status or the current Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) status for the Dutch Antilles islands would be taken in the next five years in light of the ongoing constitutional change process.
The historic working meeting was arranged by Dutch-side/French-side coordinator Marcel Gumbs.
Opposition members of the Territorial Council also gave their opinions in what was at times an open debate on some issues.
A point of interest for the Parliamentarians was the Collectivité’s approach to managing its fiscal affairs. President Gumbs explained that under the new structure tax monies came back to the island and no longer was a portion shared with France.
He said the Collectivité had the advantages of having direct national representation without having to go through Guadeloupe, and could adapt French national laws to suit St. Martin. The Collectivité also has a broader scope of activity than it had as a Commune.
It was explained that funding for the Collectivité came from three main sources: the State, the Region, and local taxes.
The President added the Collectivité must choose between opting for Ultra-Peripheral Territory (UPT) status or Overseas Country and territory (OCT) status by 2012. This is an issue the Antillean Parliament also is confronting.
Another matter discussed yesterday with the Collectivité was the problems with stolen cars. Atacho said a special ad hoc committee of Parliament had been established to deal with this matter. In discussions with stakeholders it became clear that St. Martin also has to be involved in the efforts to combat the problem of car thefts.
In this regard, Atacho said, a car registration hopefully will be in place by January 2009, as until now the registration has been in Guadeloupe. The registration will help competent authorities to exercise better control on vehicles and prevent auto theft as much as possible.
Other questions from the Parliament members included how the Collectivité handled fluctuations between the dollar and the euro and what incentives were in place for students to return to the island and work after completing their education.
“It was a very interesting meeting,” noted Marcel Gumbs. “As a legislative body Parliament wants to get itself acquainted with new infrastructures and constitutional developments in the region.
Atacho said he had invited Gumbs and all members of the Territorial Council to be present during a tripartite meeting of the Parliaments of the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba and Suriname scheduled to take place in St. Maarten in March 2009. “I believe that Caribbean brothers and sisters have to make use of all possible occasions to have contact with each other.”
According to Marcel Gumbs, Atacho has also invited President Gumbs to the next opening of Parliament.
