PHILIPSBURG:--- Loic Bryan has launched a citizen petition calling for structural reforms to Sint Maarten’s legal and judicial system, arguing that residents should have access to the country’s laws and court procedures in English.
The petition is addressed to the Parliament of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Tweede Kamer), the Government of Sint Maarten and the Joint Court of Justice.
Bryan said the initiative is not connected to any individual court case or dispute but is intended to address what he describes as a long-standing systemic and constitutional issue affecting residents, professionals and business owners in Sint Maarten.
According to Bryan, although English is officially recognized as a state language under Article 1 of the Constitution of Sint Maarten, the country’s statutory framework, tax assessments and judicial system continue to operate primarily in Dutch, 16 years after Sint Maarten attained autonomous country status within the Kingdom in 2010.
Bryan argues that requiring residents to navigate complex legal, administrative and financial matters in Dutch creates a significant barrier for people who cannot fluently read or understand the language.
He further contends that residents should be able to understand the laws they must obey and argues that the current situation raises concerns about access to justice and the right to a fair trial under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The petition puts forward four principal demands.
First, Bryan is calling for the systematic translation of Sint Maarten’s statutory laws and legal codes into accessible English.
Second, he wants the country's laws compiled and made readily available to the public in both Dutch and English, either through printed publications that residents can purchase or through free digital downloads.
Third, the petition calls for the official implementation and full acceptance of English-language court filings, submissions and proceedings within the Joint Court of Justice.
Finally, Bryan is seeking an end to the rejection of legal submissions by court clerks solely because those documents are written in English.
Bryan stressed that the campaign is intended to remain focused on institutional reform rather than individual legal cases.
“This initiative is strictly focused on securing structural equality and protecting the fundamental rights of all citizens of Sint Maarten,” Bryan stated.
He is encouraging residents to read, sign, and share the petition in an effort to bring the issue to the attention of authorities in both Philipsburg and The Hague.
“Justice cannot be served in a language the public cannot read,” Bryan said.
The petition has been launched publicly through Change.org, with Bryan calling for broader public support for bilingual legislation and greater English-language access within Sint Maarten’s justice system.
