Drs. Holiday: New
Country St. Maarten Should Adopt Existing Aviation Legislation
As
St. Maarten continues to make strides toward a new status within the
Kingdom of the Netherlands, Government should, except where the new
situation dictates otherwise, adopt the existing aviation legislation of
the Netherlands Antilles in full. Speaking at the two-day conference on
Air Traffic Relations on January 26, PJIAE President drs. Eugene Holiday
explained that adopting the existing legislation would ensure continuity
and a sense of confidence among the operators within the system. “From
an economic development perspective it is important that the government
- in view of the uncertainty that (constitutional) change engenders – do
everything to maintain stability. This step will be instrumental in that
regard,” he said.
He also advised that government set up an independent Civil Aviation
Authority charged with the responsibility to develop aviation policy and
to oversee its implementation and maintain compliance by operators.
“Looking at mentioned developments it is evident that Aviation is
absolutely vital to the economic survival of St. Maarten. The aim of St.
Maarten’s aviation policy therefore should be to meet the legitimate
demand for air travel in a manner that is sustainable. This means that
air transport policy should seek to match the capacity and quality of
the airport and ATC infrastructure with the need of passengers to be
transported safely, efficiently and comfortably by airlines,” said drs.
Holiday.
He said that taking into account the Kingdom, international and regional
dimensions of St. Maarten’s air transport relations and its limited
human resources it is recommended that the government of St. Maarten
with the establishment of its own air transport policy employs support
agreements with other governments and international institutions as a
key tool in the execution of the oversight tasks.
Meant to highlight the ramifications for air traffic relations for
Cura?o and St. Maarten as countries within the Kingdom of the
Netherlands and countries outside the Dutch a Kingdom, the two-day
conference was organized by the Minister of Traffic & Communications for
the Netherlands Antilles Maurice Adriaens in conjunction with the
Minister of Traffic & Communications of the Netherlands Camiel Eurlings.
It was themed “The Consequences of Political Changes for Air Traffic
Relations.”
drs. Holiday first set out to describe the structure of the air
transport system and he outlined the legal framework and operators. “St.
Maarten’s air transport system and that of the other four island
territories of the Netherlands Antilles are governed by the Federal
Aviation Ordinance of 2001. And the Netherlands Antilles through the
Kingdom of the Netherlands are party to the Chicago Convention of 1944 ,
as well as to a number of bilateral air services agreements with foreign
governments. These arrangements together provide the legal basis for the
regulatory framework of the Netherlands Antillean and thus St. Maarten’s
air transport policy,” he explained.
He also highlighted the role of the Directorate of Civil Aviation
(DCANA) and explained that though the minister of Traffic and
Transportation is responsible for the air transport policy on St.
Maarten, the island territory of St. Maarten is responsible for the
operation of airports and for air traffic control on St. Maarten.
Subsequently, drs. Holiday then gave a detailed outline of airport and
airline operations in St. Maarten, spending ample time on the airport’s
history and the execution of Phase II of the Airport Masterplan.
“Prompted by the continued and expected tourism growth and the need to
meet the ever changing international and national safety standards the
entire aviation infrastructure on St. Maarten has been transformed,” he
said. “The aviation industry – with PJIA at its center – function as the
heart beat of St. Maarten’s tourism based economy and as a lifeline for
surrounding islands. Any increase or decrease in traffic movements at
PJIA is an indicator of the health of the economy of St. Maarten as
witnessed by the strong correlation between traffic and GDP on the
islands. By any measure aviation is a major economic force and a source
of economic wealth for St. Maarten and its people.”
The PJIAE President said that St. Maarten’s aviation policy should meet
the legitimate demand for air travel in a manner that is sustainable and
that air transport policy should match the capacity and quality of the
airport and ATC infrastructure with the need of passengers to be
transported safely, efficiently and comfortably by airlines. How? “To
answer that question we must first examine the environment in which
country St. Maarten will conduct its air transport policy. An
environment with differing dimensions on a local, Kingdom, regional and
international level,” he said, launching with detail into the core of
his presentation.
He said that it would seem logical that St. Maarten will choose to
establish its own regulatory and policy framework equipped to address
the needs of the island’s aviation industry and economy. “The government
of St. Maarten should assume the responsibility for the regulation of
the islands air transport system. And the choice to be part of the
Kingdom requires that St. Maarten pursue an air transport policy
consistent with the international commitments of the Kingdom. And, given
the globalization of aviation business and its regulation there are few
instruments which individual governments – and thus St. Maarten – have
at their disposal to influence the shape of the industry. This
constraint speaks to the need for St. Maarten to cooperate with
countries with common interest towards the achievement of joint
objectives,” he said, leading up to his proposal that the government of
Country St. Maarten takes three steps to develop its air transport
policy: adopt the existing aviation legislation of the Netherlands
Antilles; set up an independent Civil Aviation Authority; and identify
the instruments to achieve its air transportation and economic goals.
As
St. Maarten continues to make strides toward a new status within the
Kingdom of the Netherlands, Government should, except where the new
situation dictates otherwise, adopt the existing aviation legislation of
the Netherlands Antilles in full. Speaking at the two-day conference on
Air Traffic Relations on January 26, PJIAE President drs. Eugene Holiday
explained that adopting the existing legislation would ensure continuity
and a sense of confidence among the operators within the system. “From
an economic development perspective it is important that the government
- in view of the uncertainty that (constitutional) change engenders – do
everything to maintain stability. This step will be instrumental in that
regard,” he said. 
