Philipsburg: The St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry (COCI), encourages all persons within the community who are engaging with prospect businesses to ensure and ascertain that they are duly registered in the registry at the Chamber for the services or activities that they are rendering. Likewise, COCI is also calling on the business community to be responsible and ethical in the operation of their businesses, ensuring that their registration is up to date.

This call by COCI is rather important, since it has come to the attention of COCI that some businesses are marketing and rendering services for which they are not registered or licensed to conduct. This has affected consumers adversely and affects the trust and confidence all must have when engaging with the business community. The registry permits all to verify the legitimate establishment of a business in Sint Maarten and the services or products permitted to offer.

In the event that businesses are found to be rendering services that they are not licensed or registered to conduct, this is to be reported to the Economic Inspection, as such business activity impacts both businesses and the community negatively.  

Registering your business and its activities at COCI is an essential step in establishing its legitimacy and credibility. It enables verification that businesses are conducting their activities in compliance with local laws and regulations. Furthermore, COCI is calling on all businesses to ensure that the assigned COCI registration number is placed on all official documents of the business. These include invoices, quotations, receipts and letterheads. Failure to do so, businesses can be fined up to ANG 100,000.

COCI once again stresses the importance of compliance by all businesses within our business community, as the prerequisite for a stable and legitimate business environment with the highest standards of professionalism, in support of overall growth and well-being of our community.