SHTA Vision for St. Maarten

Employment

Impacts

• Resident Impact:
  A large foreign working community, growing youth unemployment, low spending power, little job security, brain drain
• Business Impact:
  Labor cost is high, restrictive labor legislation, unskilled labor pool, foreign labor/work permit process expensive and lengthy
• Visitor Impact:
  high level of service expected, foreign workers have little knowledge of local flavor

Proposed Solutions

Facilitation

1. Flexibalization of Labor Laws
   Removal of the dismissal law will lessen the barrier for new employees to enter the labor market and promote employment. This will also assist in eliminating the abuse of six-month contracts and create more job security.
2. Facilitate Work Permit
   Facilitating the work permit process will reduce the number of illegal workers on the island getting their kids into school, improving their social standing and insurance possibilities.
3. Eliminate Abuse
   Abuse of six-month contracts as well as number of working hours should be eliminated. Lack of consistent controls encourages abuse and gives non-law complying companies an unfair advantage over good corporate citizens.

Manage Growth

1. Matching Skills to Demand
   A better match of skills and demand lead to better job opportunities for employees, better pay, and more growth opportunities. This can only be achieved through better cooperation of the industry with the education facilities.
2. Incentive Based Scholarships
   Special incentive scholarships need to be put in place for needed occupations to motivate students to choose an industry that needs them. This would improve the number of students returning.
3. Long Term Job Planning
   Long term planning for economic developments and their impact on the labor market will give training and educational facilities the time it needs to produce wellskilled employees-to-be while reducing our dependence on foreign labor.

Increase Earnings

1. Raising General Level of Education
   The raising of the overall level of education on the island increases the chances for residents
   to participate and reap the benefi ts of our economy. Further the transition to better employment or becoming an entrepreneur is easier.
2. Improve Skills & Training
   The availability of further training and education needs to be available to ensure constant growth in skills and experience for better career possibilities. Whether through the company or a formal training institution, furthering one’s education will go a long way in achieving increased earnings.
3. Increasing Upward Mobility
   Chances for upward mobility and career growth within the company and industry are necessary to ensure that experience gained is recognized and appreciated.