Is Hebrew an official language on St. Maarten?
PHILIPSBURG:--- Based on advertisement publication that appeared in one of the local newspapers it is clear that certain businesses are exploiting the current labor requirements in order to get the working documents for foreign employees renewed. Member of Parliament Cornelius de Weever has been pushing to have the Counterpart policy introduced which according to several businesses and politicians will slaughter the island's economy.
However, MP De Weever, the former Minister of Labor did not notice that companies are exploiting the rules set by the labor department to have the working documents of their foreign employees renewed and which of course limits the chance for any local to apply for the vacant positions.
In the advertisement placed on Tuesday January 26th 2015, the company Rolling Systems states that the applicant has to be fluent in Hebrew and English. Clearly this person is not a housemaid or "rabbai" but is holding more of a salesperson position. It is clear Rolling Systems has no intention to hire a local but wants to keep the person they currently have in the positon. They however, complied with the policy of the Department of Labor which states that an advertisement has to be placed in the local newspapers before the renewal can be processed. This leaves us to ask which of our schools on St. Maarten teaches Hebrew and since when Hebrew has become an official language for St. Maarten, a country within the Kingdom. Will management of Rolling Systems hire a local based on the Counterpart policy and teach them Hebrew in order for a local to qualify for the position in the next year or two?
SMN News was contacted by a family who said that when they submitted the renewal for the working permit for their housemaid who has been working for them for some five years, the Department of Labor turned the persons request down citing that the "housemaid" should have a bachelor's degree to obtain a renewal of their working permits to clean their boss's home. Member of Parliament William Marlin even mentioned the advert that was placed in the local newspapers on Tuesday.
