PHILIPSBURG--Ombudsman Nilda Arduin told Members of Parliament (MPs) all the tools they need to get answers and to rein in the boards of government-owned companies and foundations are in the country’s laws and individual articles of incorporation.
Arduin was in Parliament for a Central Committee meeting on Tuesday morning to present her bureau’s 2014 annual report.
MPs have been crying out against what they see as government’s reluctance to answer questions and the non-response or incomplete responses from government-owned companies. That outcry led the inquiry to the ombudsman.
Arduin said MPs “cannot say Parliament has no tools” to get information. She directed them to the laws and even used a sample from the regulations governing the Land and Mortgage Registry (Kadaster) to prove her point.
Another hurdle Parliament faces is government’s constant position that the “arm’s length” approach dictated by regulations governing its companies hinders it from accessing information and effecting change. Again, the ombudsman advised MPs and government to look to the laws for answers. She described MPs as the trustees of the company called St. Maarten, with government as its administrator, answerable to the people of the country - the shareholders.
Dealing with her own hurdles, Arduin said not everyone in government, in particular the civil service, has grasped the role of the ombudsman. Similarly in the community, there is still rampant belief that to file a complaint with the bureau means coming into conflict with government, she said. People are “reluctant” to make complaints.
In 2014, the bureau completed and closed the files on 130 cases of which 24 were brought over from the previous year. Of the total complaints, 54 were new complaints.
The ombudsman made recommendations to government in 30 cases to better the service delivered to residents.
The bureau has implemented a tracking system to monitor its long-term recommendations to government.
The absence of a Consumer Protection Bureau for the country has led to a number of complaints to reach the ombudsman that is meant to be dealt with by a protection bureau.
Arduin told MPs that civil servants need to learn the level of proper conduct and service. Ministers and secretaries-general need to let civil servants know there are “consequences” for not doing their job properly.
She said it was astonishing to learn that many civil servants are unaware there is an existing code of conduct.
In the same meeting following the ombudsman’s exit, MPs gave the nod of approval to changes to the kingdom law regulating the court administrative procedures. The changes when in effect will simplify the filing of cases and allow for digital submissions to the Court.
MPs approved the attendance of the Chairman and General Secretary of Parliament to the 200th anniversary of the First and Second Chambers of the Dutch Parliament on October 16, but turned down an invitation to attend InterExpo Congress and Matchmaking from September 22-25 in Amsterdam.
