Over the past 10 days readers learned about two valedictorians who were top graduates at their respective schools despite hardly speaking any English. Apart from the resilience and determination shown by them as well as their parents, these stories speak to the community’s multicultural nature.
Not everyone likes to hear this, but the fact is that persons born in St. Maarten, the former Netherlands Antilles and even Aruba no longer form the majority. That does not mean more than half the population is disenfranchised, because many foreigners have acquired Dutch citizenship and the right to vote.
It does bring challenges particularly for the education system, which constantly needs to try and accommodate newcomers from varying backgrounds. Such is not only the correct thing to do but required because of the compulsory education law.
Every child living in the country must be able to attend school, regardless of their residence status. This is among the reasons why one will – thankfully – never see immigration raids in classrooms.
But apart from potential issues, the constant influx of mainly expatriates and their families also has positives, like fresh ideas and approaches, different insights, talents and ways of doing things, etc. The vast number of nationalities present helps give the island an international flavour that can benefit the tourism economy too.
People often say migrants take jobs away from locals, but the process to acquire an employment permit nowadays offers considerable protection in that regard. And let’s face it, if work was not abundantly available, fewer would be here in the first place.
The biggest problem is actually exploitation of this group by employers and others on the island. These labourers are often left undocumented and forced to accept lower salaries and poor working conditions, while the mandatory payment of social insurance premiums, including for collective health coverage, as well as taxes on their behalf remains lacking, with all possible consequences.
Guest workers may also become easy targets for criminals abusing their disadvantageous circumstances. Justice Minister Anna Richardson and relevant law enforcement agencies recently warned against fake immigration consultants (see Thursday paper) who defraud persons seeking residence permits.
They called on victims to come forward, but few probably will out of fear of being deported. Authorities should therefore focus primarily on the swindlers rather than their – prospective – clients.
Accusing foreigners of certain ills in society is regrettably prevalent, but incorrect. Not they, but those profiting from their vulnerable position are chiefly to blame.
