Only MP Irion submitted legislation this past Parliamentary year

GREATBAY--As the Parliament of St. Maarten prepares to enter the 2025–2026 legislative session in September, a review of the past year reveals limited legislative output. Of the 15 sitting Members of Parliament, only one, MP Ardwell Irion, has submitted legislation during the 2024–2025 parliamentary year (September 2024 to September 2025).

To be fair, other Members of Parliament have been active in developing draft laws, but these efforts have not culminated in formal submissions during the current session. MP Sjamira Roseburg submitted a proposed amendment to the LTU (immigration ordinance) aimed at providing greater inclusion for children born in St. Maarten to non-Dutch parents, but this was submitted in August 2024, prior to the current legislative year. Similarly, MP Omar Ottley submitted legislative amendments on short-term labor contracts and immigration policies in August 2024, just before the new session began.

In the current year, only MP Irion has submitted legislation, introducing two key proposals:

• Corporate Tax Reform: Filed in June 2025, this proposal seeks to modernize the country’s profit tax system by replacing the existing flat 34.5% corporate rate with a two-tier structure. Companies earning under ANG 600,000 annually would be taxed at 15%, while larger firms would pay 20%. The draft also proposes targeted deductions, allowing 150% of employee wages and training costs to be written off, to encourage job creation and human capital development.

• Basic Bank Account Legislation: Submitted in April 2025, this amendment updates St. Maarten’s basic banking law to ensure all residents can open and manage basic bank accounts online. It aims to eliminate unnecessary in-person visits and improve access to essential financial services, including account setup, card replacement, and balance inquiries.

The absence of additional legislative submissions from the rest of Parliament once again raises concerns about capacity and funding thereof in Parliament. Parliament has no legislative lawyers and/or writers outside of the Secretary General. MP's are left to fund the preparation of legislation themselves, which results in legislative stagnation and lack of legislative follow-through.

United People's Party (UPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Omar Ottley (Party Leader), Francisco Lacroes (Deputy Leader), and Nation Opportunity Wealth (NOW) Faction Leader Lyndon Lewis successfully brought an amendment to the 2025 budget to enhance Parliament's legislative capacity.

The proposal focused on improving the country's lawmaking processes by enabling factions to hire skilled professionals such as legislative lawyers.

Parliament has struggled with legislative backlogs and delays in proposing new laws for years due to limited legislative staffing available in parliament. This amendment addressed the issue by reallocating funds to support faction’s yearly with legislation.

This will empower factions to hire qualified personnel to co-draft laws, conduct legal reviews, and provide policy advice. This motion was unanimously approved earlier this year.

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