HARBOR VIEW:--- On Monday, March 24, 2014 The Social Economic Council (SER), hosted a delegation from Transparency International (TI), who were accompanied by head of the Department of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK), Marc Arnold.
SER Chairman Arthur Bute welcomed TI Regional director to the Americas Mr. Alejandro Salas, Regional coordinator Mr. Max Heywood, Communications expert Ms. Natalie Naharav and lead research consultant Ms. Cora de Wit.
The visit of TI served as a familiarization meeting with the SER. TI will be carrying out a National Integrity System assessment in St Maarten this year. The final report will evaluate the main anti-corruption institutions and sectors in the country.
According to TI: "the institution is not a research centre, but an advocacy for change. And in doing so, the local knowledge of people is very important in promoting transparency and fighting corruption. TI mostly works via dialogue, sharing information, experiences of their findings. In its assessments, TI looks at the present and advocates change for the future".
SER council members employers' representative Mrs. Eveline Henriquez-Dijkhoffz, labor representative William Reed and Vice-chairman, Mr. Dwight Williams all expressed their views on the integrity assessment study and look forward to the final report.
SER Chairman Arthur Bute pointed out that TI will be the fourth Integrity committee or institution assigned to carry out a study on corruption on Sint Maarten, the Chairman inquired as to where the focus of TI would lie compared to the other integrity committees. In answering the SER Chairman question, Marc Arnold expounded on the purpose of each committee and gave some examples of problem areas where corruption might be suspected.
In conclusion the SER agreed with TI, that the best way forward for Sint Maarten would be for all stakeholders to accept some measure of responsibility and to provide valued input to reflect an accurate picture of the current situation of our society.
