Is ANG 3000 the new minimum wage?

The explanatory notes (memorie van toelichting) of the new law for the admission and expulsion of foreigners describe why a person should have an income of 36,000 ANG to bring in a spouse as follows.

“Twee personen onderhouden op een bruto-salaris van ANG 2.000,= is zo goed als onmogelijk. Het is dan ook onverantwoord om de norm van ANG 2.000,= bruto inkomen per maand te blijven hanteren.”

What this means – and now decreed in black and white as part of a ministerial resolution – and subsequent reasoning why the minimum income has to be 36,000 guilders – is that an income of 1500 guilders per person not sufficient for being eligible for admittance.

So then how come the minimum wage in St. Maarten is 1500 guilders?

People with families consisting of not only one spouse have to live on this minimum wage here in St. Maarten.

Well, it is clear. The minister has said that it is close to impossible for a couple to live with a salary of ANG 2000 per month. Therefore, that means that it is impossible for any family to live off the minimum wage of ANG 1500. This should be sufficient fuel to spark a movement for an increase in the minimum wage. Organizations like the St. Maarten Anti Poverty Platform and the St. Maarten Consumers Coalition, armed with this decree, should force the relevant authorities to raise the minimum wage to at least 3000 guilders if not to 4000 guilders.

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