CDFHA Issues a Call to Legal Professionals for Collaboration in Offering Legal Support Services to Underserved Persons in the Community

The Department of Community Development, Family and Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA) is calling on local legal professionals that are willing to assist in providing basic legal support services to persons in need within the communities of Sint Maarten. The aim of the program is to lower the threshold of engagement with legal professionals and make legal services more accessible to the community.

There are various ways for legal professionals to contribute, by committing to doing one or more of the following:

• Joining a database that persons can be directed to according to the type of legal assistance they require.

• Offering time slots in a rotation to provide legal assistance at Community Helpdesks, making the service accessible to the people in a nearby neighborhood.

• Supporting the community by waiving the first consultation fee.

• Facilitating information sessions on common legal challenges such as immigration procedures, labor contracts, and residential rental agreements.

Legal professionals that are interested in making this valuable contribution to the wellbeing of the Sint Maarten people are invited to send an email to cdfha@sintmaartengov.org. Any questions, comments or suggestions are most welcome.