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Representatives of the French side Territorial Council with Members of Parliament in Parliament House on Tuesday.
PHILIPSBURG--A meeting between the French side Territorial Council and Members of Parliament (MPs) in Parliament House on Tuesday resulted in various topics discussed being sent to Parliament’s permanent committees for further deliberation and solution seeking.
Among the topics discussed was pensioners living on the French side, but who have contributed to the Dutch side’s General Pension Fund by working on the southern side of the island accessing their benefits. The French side delegation, led by President Aline Hanson, pointed out that the issue is a Dutch side one as the French side allows all pensioners, regardless of where they live to access their French benefits once they have paid into the system.
Parliament’s Permanent Committee for Public Health, Social Development and Labour has now been charged with finding a solution. The committee will liaise with French side Vice President for social and family matters Ramona Connor.
The need for a joint approach to tackle the island’s waste management challenges are still very much alive with the representatives of both sides signalling their desire to work together.
Guillaume Arnell of the Territorial Council said the level of waste on the island is “becoming alarming†to the point where the ground water is affected. “Waste management is a crucial issue for both sides of the island.â€
Like the Dutch side, the French side waste management is “inadequate†and a solution needs to be found, Arnell said. MPs agreed that solutions are needed and will take the matter further via the Permanent Committee for Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI.
Arnell expressed HOPE that the Dutch side will continue to progress with its plans for a waste-to-energy plant.
The Dutch side has been trying to tackle the mountain of garbage rising from Pond Island. Plans were far ahead with part of the project already on bid in 2012-2013, but nothing has progressed so far on the project.
Like Arnell, United People’s (UP) party leader MP Theo Heyliger said the garbage situation is an environmental issue that must be addressed swiftly. A waste processing plant is “expensive†to build and run, he added and called on the French side to consider a joint approach. “We need a solution fast … we have to bite the bullet.â€
Arnell, in response to inquiry from MP Tamara Leonard (UP), outlined a number of measures the French side has undertaken to tackle the waste situation, including encouraging recycling and sorting practices in school with the spin-off of students doing the same at home.
The two delegations also discussed the possibility of a joint water and electricity management for the island and the development of geothermal energy. Both topics were referred to Permanent Committee VROMI.
The acceptance of the “Dutch†driver’s licence by the French side was one of the issues MP Sarah Wescot-Williams requested to be added to the Central Committee meeting. Working out the bottlenecks has been left to the Permanent Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Affairs and Kingdom Relations.
The meeting with the French side officials was called on the initiative of independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo.
In Tuesday’s meeting, MPs also decided on a four-person delegation to represent Parliament at the Curaçao Flag Day celebrations on July 2. Attending are Christopher Emmanuel (National Alliance), Marlin-Romeo, Johan Leonard (UP) and Frans Richardson (United St. Maarten Party).
