Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
The news that parliamentarian Sarah Wescot-Williams (DP) intends to "pick up" former DP fraction member Leroy de Weever's two initiative laws to establish a timeshare authority and better regulate the sector no doubt will be welcomed, especially in light of the problem at Caravanserai and the bad publicity for the destination this is generating. However, looking at recent history regarding this topic one can't help but wonder what's taking so long.
After all, the proposed legislation, including a draft amendment to the Civil Code, was submitted on January 14, 2013, already two years ago. Not only that, but the intention had been announced another two years earlier, in February 2011, at the height of the Pelican Resort saga, when it was recognised by the industry that existing timeshare consumer protection laws needed to be updated.
Back then the same Wescot-Williams as prime minister said her government was committed to "picking up again draft timeshare legislation that could mitigate in the future the fallout currently being experienced due to the Pelican situation." Four years later the conclusion has to be that this goal is still to be met.
Granted, it's not a simple matter and the interests of the developer must be balanced carefully with those of the buyers. Nevertheless, a package finally was sent to the Advisory Council, which gave Parliament its comments in July 2014, six months ago.
So, while the current efforts by the opposition member, but also those of Tourism Minister Claret Connor reported on today and in Monday's paper are surely appreciated, speed hasn't exactly characterised how the local political establishment has dealt with this sensitive yet crucial issue up to now.
