Govt may handle decree change for IDs, driver?s licences Tuesday

~Tariff change to go to Parliament~

PHILIPSBURG--The Council of Ministers is likely to handle the changes to the decree containing general measures on the issuance of new Identification Cards (IDs) and Drivers Licences next week Tuesday.

This will pave the way for measures to be put in place for Country St. Maarten to start issuing new IDs and driver's licences. The current IDs still have Netherlands Antilles (NA) written on them along with the names of the five islands that comprised the former NA.

Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams told reporters on Wednesday that preparations began "some months ago" to establish the necessary changes to the decree containing general measures for new IDs and drivers licences.

"Because these matters are actually the decrees holding general measures they have to go through the process practically [similar to that] of a law. However, they don't have to go to parliament. This process has not yet been completed."

The Prime Minister said, however, that a change to the tariff ordinance to adjust the tariffs in connection with, among other things, the new ID cards and the new driver's licences will have to go to Parliament.

"The decrees containing general measures establishing the use of the new ID cards and drivers licences has had to go to the Council of Advice - it went and came back and hopefully will be on the agenda of the Council of Ministers by next week Tuesday so that at least we can finalise those two regulations for the ID cards and the drivers licences."

It was announced in a press release on Tuesday night that ID cards are now being issued, however, Drivers Licences and passports are not being issued. The release stated that the resumption of the issuance of drivers' licences will be announced. With respect to the issuance of passports, it was stated that due to unforeseen circumstances affecting the hardware that supports the operations of the department's passport system, the Department of Civil Registry is unable to issue passport services at this point in time.

"The department is awaiting the delivery of replacement material and the public will be informed when this service is available again," it was stated in the release.

Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/21757-govt-may-handle-decree-change-for-ids-drivers-licences-tuesday.html

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