The go-slow and threat of industrial action by labour unions representing local law enforcement personnel could not have come at a worse time. The high season is well underway and already
incoming visitors reportedly faced unusually long lines at Princess Juliana International Airport SXM due to a lack of Immigration staff on Saturday, the busiest local travel day due to the prevailing timeshare week cycle.
Inconveniencing the guests who drive the island’s tourism economy is never a good idea. However, one must recognise as well that these kinds of protests during busy times tend to be noticed better and more often lead to results.
The reality is that the majority of the problems cited by the officials are not new and actually should have been handled long ago. They may not seem that urgent, but to the persons in question they involve job security and in many cases improved benefits.
One issue over which there can be little doubt is adequate accident and health insurance for these officers, who often put their lives on the line to protect society day after day. Their coverage needs to be of a nature that allows them to perform this dangerous but important task on behalf of the entire community without such worries, also regarding their families left behind should anything happen to them.
The new to-be-installed Justice Minister will have his work cut out for him in this matter, also because the unions NAPB, ABVO and WICSU/PSU refuse to talk with – still – interim Justice Minister Richard Gibson. It must be said, the latter was not given much of an opportunity to deal with these issues since taking office, so it is going to be largely up to his successor to resolve them quickly and decisively, in the best interest of St. Maarten and its people.
