Caribbean legislative drafting: a new guide for legislative lawyers in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten
‘Caribbean legislative drafting’ is a guide that helps legislative lawyers in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten with all aspects of preparing legislation, from legislative competence to enforcement. The guide refers to the relevant instructions for legislating for Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, with illustrative examples, supplements and critical remarks and alternatives where necessary. The Temporary Work Organisation set up by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations has made a financial contribution towards the realisation of the book ‘Caribbean legislative drafting’ (Caribische wetgevingstechniek) by Professor Sjoerd Zijlstra.
Caribbean Center for Legislation
The book ‘Caribbean legislative drafting’ is a spin-off from the Certified Legislative Lawyer training programme offered by the Caribbean Center for Legislation (CCL). In November 2021, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations awarded a subsidy of €81,550 to the University of Curaçao for programmes organised by the Caribbean Center for Legislation. The funding is intended to finance the Certified Legislative Lawyer (in the Caribbean context) training programme and the follow-up Certified Legislative Lawyer programme for legislative lawyers in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. Since 2021, the University of Curaçao has offered training programmes in partnership with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for legislative lawyers in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten who wish to become Certified Legislative Lawyers. The project consists of an (online) training programme that is available to the governments of the three countries. Examples provided by participants from the three countries are used to ensure that the programme is relevant to their day-to-day practice. Thirty-two legislative lawyers have completed the programme so far.
About the author
Sjoerd Zijlstra is an associate professor of Legislative Studies at the University of Curaçao Dr. Moises Da Costa Gomes and professor of Constitutional and Administrative Law at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He is chair of the CCL and has extensive experience with legislative practice in all the countries of the Kingdom.