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THE COUNCIL O OF ADVICE
use the advices of the Council to enhance the quality of their draft laws.
In this manner the Council plays its role as guardian of the rule of law without compromising the democratic principles.
Structure
Vision
The Council of Advice is a professional advisory body functioning in a representative setting that provides independent, effective, academic and just advice to the government and parliament with the aim to stimulate them to enact qualitative legislation in the benefit of a good functioning democratic society for the people and the Sint Maarten community as a whole.
Constitutional Position
The Council of Advice, the last advisory body of Government and Parliament, has a constitutionally regulated independent position. The Council takes an independent, impartial and objective position while advising Government and Parliament.
Unlike Government and Parliament, the Council is not democratically legitimized. The Council derives its authority from its scientific approach in its advices.
The advices of the Council are not binding. The Council does not have the power to prevent proposals of law from becoming law, or to force Parliament or Government to amend their proposals. Government and Parliament should
The Council consists of five members including a vicechairperson and 5 extra-ordinary members. At the moment the Council has three extra-ordinary members that also function as replacement Council members and can prepare pre-advices to the Council.The Governor can fill his position as Chairperson at any time and whenever he deems it fit to do so. As chairperson he has an advisory role. The vicechair, the rest of the members and extra-ordinary members are appointed for seven years and can be reappointed. Sint Maarten’s appointed member of the Kingdom’s Council of State is an extra-ordinary member of the Council and may be present for the meetings held by the Council. Presently, Sint Maarten has not appointed a member to the Kingdom’s Council of State.
The chosen structure of the Council strives to encompass a wide section of the political and social spectrum. Collectively the members have a wide range of political, administrative and legal expertise. The Council does not function as a specific expert council but rather as a general advisor. The Advices of the specialized councils with expertise in their fields form part of the dossier that the Council of Advice receives as final and highest advisor to government. Council of Advice
E.C. Richardson Street 13, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten
Tel: +1 (721) 542-0953
Fax: +1 (721) 542-0963
Web: councilofadvicesxm.com