PHILIPSBURG:--- A parliamentary delegation, headed by the President of Parliament, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams left St. Maarten for Panama on Tuesday. In Panama, the respective committee members will be attending meetings of these committees and join the President of Parliament at the General Assembly of Parlatino on November 27th and 28th.
The Parliament of St. Maarten as a member-parliament of Parlatino has voting rights in the General Assembly of this body, which meets annually. The committees that are meeting during this week are Human Rights, Justice and Prison Policies, Citizen Safety and Prevention to Drug Trafficking, Terrorism and Organized Crime, Labor, Social Welfare and Legal Affairs, Education, Science, Culture, Technology and Communication and Health. Attending committee meetings are MPs Pantophlet, G., Emmanuel, C., Matser, S., Richardson, L. and Leonard, J.
The General Assembly of Parlatino meets annually to debate and approve declarations and resolutions, framework laws and agreements.
Parlatino is seeking to become the legislative body of the future Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) and acknowledges the need to reform and improve some of its statutes and to add the English language to the official languages of Parlatino.
The President of Parliament, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams is also Vice President of Parlatino and a member of the Executive Board of the same organization. The Executive Board meets on November 26th. This board oversees the work of Parlatino on behalf of the General Assembly.
The parliament of St. Maarten is assisted on this trip by its Secretary-General, Mrs. Nancy Guishard-Joubert.
