WILLEMSTAD--Undocumented people can still make use of the Brooks Tower Accord (BTA) to regulate their status, although the submission period has ended.
National Alliance (NA) Parliamentarian Rodolphe Samuel urged people to file their applications as soon as possible. There are a lot more people in the community who can benefit from the BTA, an effort to control and regularise immigration on the islands, he said.
Justice Minister Magali Jacoba told Parliament Tuesday that applications for residence permits for undocumented people could be filed up until February 28. An application must include all documents needed to file the request, as well as a letter addressed to the Minister requesting inclusion under the BTA, Samuel said after the meeting.
Meanwhile, special provisions are being looked at for Haitians who need passports and other documents renewed in their country, but cannot access them now because of the devastating earthquake that brought the country to a halt.
Several hundred people, particularly in Curaçao and St. Maarten, registered last year to legalise their status in the Netherlands Antilles under the BTA.
Parliament also heard from the Police Force of Curaçao and the Prosecutor’s Office about the rise in youth crime and delinquency. This is a problem that also faces St. Maarten, Samuel said via telephone.
He had suggested to Parliament that provisions be made to employ social inspectors who would look into complaints early on and survey living and other environmental conditions to stop social issues before they develop into petty or violent crimes.
The Police Force and the Prosecutor’s Office have been requested to provide Parliament with figures on youth crime and other related matters.
Samuel is one of two St. Maarten Parliamentarians who were re-elected to their posts in Friday’s parliamentary elections. George Pantophlet (NA) was also re-elected.
Democratic Party (DP) Parliamentarian Erno Labega was not re-elected. His term will end on March 25.
The new parliament, termed the last for the Netherlands Antilles, will take office on March 26. It is expected to have a life of only seven months because of the dismantling of the Antilles and the emergence of Country St. Maarten, Country Curaçao and the Dutch public entities of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (the BES islands) on October 10.
