PHILIPSBURG--Acting Minister of Justice Prime Minister William Marlin, currently substituting for three portfolios, said on Wednesday that he will attempt to meet with the police unions, regarding their 72-hour ultimatum.
Acting Justice Minister Richard Gibson is currently in the Netherlands on government business. Marlin said on Wednesday that since the new cabinet was sworn in less than a week ago, he hasn’t had time to meet with all of the staffers under the portfolios he currently holds and is substituting for.
Marlin said it was unfortunate that with the “changing of the guard,” the new government was given an ultimatum of 72 hours without a discussion with the new minister. “I was hoping to at least be given an opportunity to talk to them (the unions and workers) to let them know that government would look into the problems that they have,” Marlin said.
Marlin said when he was a Member of Parliament (MP) unions and individual civil servants had raised some of their concerns and the National Alliance (NA) fraction had questioned the former minister about them.
One of the issues had been young officers undergoing training was still receiving their trainee salary of NAf. 1,700 nine months to a year after graduating, even though their salaries had to be increased. He said the minister had said he was working on addressing this issue when asked. The Prime Minister said addressing these issues with the workers is not as easy as writing a cheque.
He said there had been too many workers who are experiencing issues. He used himself as an example saying that since he went on retirement in 2010, to date he has only received a letter thanking him for his service. He has not yet received his national decree. He said workers who go on pension need their national decree stating that they are formally dismissed to regulate their pension and some workers who went on retirement are unable to do so. Many teachers, he added, were still without their national decrees stating that they are working for Country St. Maarten (see related story).”
He said he will attempt to meet with the union on the matter. Marlin is Minister of General Affairs. He is also substituting for the Ministry of VROMI and since Gibson is off island, he is also substituting for the Ministries of Justice and Finance.
Late last week, the NAPB and ABVO police unions gave government 72 hours to come with solutions for issues affecting the Police Force and Immigration including fixing their insurance and pension as well as ensuring that officers receive their “function book” and salary scales, amongst other things. The ultimatum was related in an article published in last Saturday’s edition of this newspaper. High on the unions’ list of concerns is the fact that the medical insurance is not yet regulated for officers and immigration personnel.
This has left police and immigration officers “in limbo,” NAPB President Jeanine Peterson had said. She said although the disciplined services currently fall under Social and Health Care Insurances SZV, members “don't feel protected” by this insurance, particularly when working in the line of duty. She said, with SZV insurance, officers injured during the line of duty are not entitled to any benefits for their loved ones, particularly if they lose their life. She aluded to the case of police major Vernon Ranis, who was injured during a recent accident and subsequently lost part of his foot.
The unions are also peeved that despite the many years of battling for these issues to be rectified, police officers and immigration personnel are still awaiting their “function book” and salary scales, amongst other things.
The NAPB congratulated the incoming government sworn in last week Thursday. The union says, however, that authorities have to hit the ground running as everyone is aware of the issues affecting the force. She declined to say what specific other methods, the force will take if its 72-hour ultimatum is not met. She said, however, that the union and its members are serious about a resolution being found for the issues they continue to face.
