Parliament will have a very busy schedule after the recess which started on July 1st. Members of Parliament (MPs) will return to work in the week of August 8.
President of Parliament drs. Gracita Arrindell said on Sunday that a number of meetings that were planned for June did not materialize due to a number of other matters that had to be dealt with related to parliament.
"Meetings that were tentatively set for June will now be scheduled for the months of August, September and October.
"They are very important subjects that MPs should receive information about and then draft a plan of action for follow-up.
"We also have the opening of the new parliamentary year mid-September," Arrindell said on Sunday.
Information gathering sessions will be planned with and about the Development Bank of the Netherlands Antilles (OBNA), Point Blanche Inmates Association, National Disaster Preparedness, Public Transportation and Road Safety, Environmental Organizations, the Territorial Council of the Collectivite of St. Martin, Timeshare Sector, Crime and the United Task Force Against Crime, Stakeholders with respect to the revision of Labour Laws, and Human Smuggling, Slavery, Domestic and Family Violence.
The aforementioned will be assigned to either a Central Committee meeting or permanent committee sessions. Arrindell pointed out that it all depended on the issue at hand.
"With respect to the Point Blanche Prison Association, in this case the permanent committee for Justice will meet with the association members at the prison facility.
"The Central Committee, comprising of all MPs will meet with the Territorial Council of St. Martin. It is very important that MPs from the South side of the island meet their colleagues from the North side and exchange contacts and also plan regular meeting sessions, perhaps every quarter to discuss issues that impact both sides of the island.
"I believe closer dialogue and communication is essential in resolving issues that could blow up due to the lack of the aforementioned. We need to work closer together.
"The Council of Ministers will be meeting with the Executive Council of St. Martin headed by President Frantz Gumbs in the first week of July and we hope we can meet the Territorial Council in August. We will then have established the relevant structural links at both levels of Government," President of Parliament Gracita Arrindell concluded.