SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Khalil Revan, candidate number 4 on the Democratic Party (DP) has submitted to Prime Minister Luc Mercelina, a draft regulation that would allow for laws to be drafted and reviewed in the English language. The regulation also includes a full translation of the Instructions for the drafting of regulations (‘Aanwijzingen voor regelgeving’).
This initiative is part of Revan’s convictions toward decolonization and independence. This initiative follows Revan’s personal experience writing laws and having witnessed the functioning and composition of Parliament over the last 10 years as well as the make-up of the population, which consists primarily of English speakers.
Furthermore, initiatives such as the Timeshare Legislation, spearheaded by the Democratic Party, and approved by Parliament, could not be ratified, primarily because the law was presented in English. “This, is simply not acceptable given the uniqueness of Sint Maarten when compared to the majority of our Kingdom partners, as Dutch is not a predominantly spoken language in our country,” Revan said.According to Revan, the call for laws to be available in the language of the people is one that has been made by the leader of the Democratic Party for some time, but efforts to bring this regulation to fruition have never been made.
“However, the fact that the legislation is largely only available in the Dutch language and that the possibility to draft legislation in the English language is non-existent acts as a great disservice to our citizens, and our heritage and also violates the Constitution of Sint Maarten, which recognizes English as one of the two official languages of Sint Maarten. The UN recognizes the right to one's own language in legal, administrative, and judicial acts to be understood and freely chosen by the people of the country as part of the decolonization process and a human right,” he explained.
He continued: “We cannot continue to be led by Colonial practices. We decided 14 years ago to become an autonomous country within the Kingdom, which can be seen as a steppingstone to full independence. This calls for the necessary preparations to be made to ensure that our people can fully function within the realms of the laws applicable to them. Such is only possible if the laws are aligned with the language of the people”.
Before the regulation can go into effect, it will require the signature of the Prime Minister, following the consent of the Council of Ministers. Prior to this, the draft regulation will need to be vetted by the Department of Legal and Legislative Affairs (JZW) and though not required, will also be presented to the Council of Advice for its feedback.
Revan is cognizant that the legislative lawyers and reviewers will prefer to keep the status quo, however, strong arguments would have to be presented to not allow for this vital change that will ultimately benefit the people of Sint Maarten. “Our laws and lawmakers must respect the uniqueness, language, and heritage of our people Revan stated. I look forward to the draft regulation being adopted before the start of the new Parliamentary term,” Revan concluded.
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