St. Maarten Timeshare Legislation Introduced to Parliament
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Many have called for expanded St. Maarten timeshare legislation in recent years, believing that it will enhance and improve vacation ownership there. Now, with collaboration by the St. Maarten Timeshare Association, in a joint committee with ARDA-Caribbean, progress is being made toward the development of a comprehensive legislative act.
One of the most highly publicized issues regarding St. Maarten timeshare stemmed from the challenges experienced by timeshare owners at the Simpson Bay Resort and Marina and the Villas at Simpson Bay, which were formerly known as the Pelican Resort Club and the Pelican Marina Residences. (You can read more about the history of this issue here: Detailed Updates on Simpson Bay Timeshare (Pelican Resort Club) Closing Part I; Detailed Updates on Simpson Bay Timeshare (Pelican Resort Club) Closing Part II; and Simpson Bay Timeshare in the Caribbean Reopens, Some Owners Receive Bonus Interval).
The following news was published by the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), on October 25, 2012.
St. Maarten Timeshare Issue Brief
On October 10, the Parliament of St. Maarten formally received the draft timeshare legislation prepared by the St. Maarten Timeshare Association (SMTA) / ARDA legislation committee in conjunction with Judge Jan de Boer of the St. Maarten Common Court of Justice. Judge de Boer sent the draft legislation to Parliament and to the Minister of Justice.
St. Maarten Timeshare Impact
St. Maarten has had some limited timeshare consumer legislation in place since 2003. However, St. Maarten elected officials called for the well-respected legal scholar, Judge de Boer to make improvements and updates to the current timeshare law in response to the short-lived closing of the Simpson Bay Resort and Marina and the Villas at Simpson Bay Resort and Marina in St. Maarten, formerly known as Pelican Resort Club and Pelican Marina Residences.
St. Maarten Timeshare Position/Call to Action
In September of 2011, the SMTA formed a joint committee with ARDA-Caribbean to offer a comprehensive and credible timeshare legislative act. The committee proposed a draft bill to Judge de Boer in May of 2012. After a period of careful review and some minor revision the legislation was officially forwarded to the St. Maarten Government in September 2012.
St. Maarten Timeshare Issue Updates
The bill will be reviewed by Parliament during this year’s legislative session, which started in September. Alerts will be sent out for any updates that become available.
