Philipsburg:--- The St. Maarten Seniors and Pensioners Association (SMSPA) intends to submit at least three petitions on Friday to the Council of Ministers, the Kingdom Council of Ministers, and to the Members of Parliament that are currently meeting on St. Maarten.The vice president of the SMSPA Raymond Jessurun informed its members on Thursday that they have been meeting with other social partners throughout this week planning their way forward. Jessurun said the seniors and pensioners are demanding equality and denouncing the discrimination against their members. It should be noted that the SMSPA requested to meet with the Members of Parliament during the Inter-parliamentary meetings but their request was denied.
Ever since then, the SMSPA has decided to mobilize its members while they invited a group of persons representing seniors and pensioners on Curacao that are facing the same issues as the SMSPA. During the meeting on Thursday members of the Chamber of Labour Unions attended and Member of Parliament of Curacao Herman Wiels showed up at the WIFOL building where the informative meeting was held to show his support for the elderly.
In the petitions, the SMSPA informed the Kingdom Council of Ministers that it is the responsibility of the Netherlands to implement the social application of securities in a non discriminatory manner.
The SMSPA highlighted the CESCR treaty which states that it is the responsibility of the Kingdom Government to guarantee the rights in its entirety in all parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands without restrictions and exceptions.
They said that on behalf of their members and their families and the people of St. Maarten they want them to put an end to the discriminatory systems of health care and the social provisions in the Kingdom. Equal rights should be guaranteed to all citizens despite where they choose to live, the petition states.
Click here to view the SMSPA petition to the Kingdom Council of Ministers.
Click here to view the SMSPA petition to the St. Maarten Council of Ministers.