The Chamber’s board of directors represents both Large and Small Businesses of the St. Maarten Business Community.

Every January of a calendar year, three Board Member positions become vacant. These positions are filled by three (3) candidates chosen in the Election. Depending on which seats become available for a given year, Board Member seat distribution are as follows: one (1) seat for small business and two (2) seats for large businesses, OR two (2) seats for small businesses and one (1) seat for a large business.

Please note that the abovementioned seats do not include the positions of the Executive Board (i.e. The President, Vice-President & Treasurer). The position of President, Vice-President & Treasurer is done via internal elections by the Board of Directors.

Eligible are those who meet the following requirements:

• Residents for the last 2 years.
• Dutch Citizenship.
• Minimum of 25 years of age per October 15^th.
• No incompatibilities (multiple persons in the same company).
• Not excluded from eligibility (see entitled to vote).

• Members take a seat for 3 years.
• Step down by rotation.
  • For instance: if during your 3-year tenure you decide to resign in the first year, or after (before your tenure is up), or in the event of a death, the remaining time of your seat occupancy will be occupied by the newly appointed candidate in that year’s elections. The newly appointed candidate is then allotted the remaining amount of time of your 3-year tenure.
• Casual vacancies (step down by rotation).
• Casual resignation.
• Dismissal by law.

Nominations of a Candidate to represent Small or Large Businesses on the Board of Directors of the St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

1. To nominate yourself to be part of the board of directors you do not have to be a business person or own your own company.
2. Of Dutch Citizen/Dutch Nationality.
3. Eligible candidates (eligible to receive votes) need 15 signatures from different company owners that agree to nominate you into the Chamber’s board of directors to serve, represent, defend and promote the interest of their Small or Large Business.
4. You have 14 working days to collect all 15 signatures.
5. All completed forms must be delivered in person on the 14^th day BEFORE 12:00 pm at the Chambers Philipsburg location.

Board member nomination forms can be found at the Chambers office.

Voters for Large Businesses are those entitled to vote, whose names appear in the Chambers Commercial Register as involved in an established company, for which entry in the Commercial Register an amount based on an invested capital of a minimum of Naƒ. 100, 000 is due. All other voters are voters for Small Businesses.

Entitled to vote are:

• Maarten Residents (those registered with the Registry Office).
• Of Dutch Citizenship/Nationality.
• Those who for 1 year immediately preceding the making up of the Register of Voters, appear in the Commercial Register of the territory of the Chamber as owner, partner, manager, (deputy) managing director, supervisory director, general attorney or proxy holder (with no limitations).

Excluded from the voting are:

• Prisoners
• Persons place(d) in a ward because of insanity.
• Persons adjudged bankrupt, etc.