PHILIPSBURG:--- In response to a question from reporters on whether or not the Ministry of labor has granted work permits to sex workers or if they were all denied. The Minister of Labor said based on a court ruling the department of labor was required to accept the applications but since that matter took some time before it was handled he returned the applications to the applicants in order for them to do the applications correctly. The Minister stated that St. Maarten cannot issue work permits to sex workers, but they could to exotic dancers. He said in the applications it was clear that some of the women applied for permits to work as sex workers.
When asked if gave the applicants a loophole in the law to obtain a permit when he returned the applications instead of denying them the Minister said that the request for the permit submitted by the employer did not match the contracts (job description) given to the employees and as such he returned the applications so that it can be corrected.