BANKING SUPERVISION IN CURACAO AND SINT MAARTEN

Prudential rules and requirements The Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten is responsible for the care of the financial system’s health, effected through on and off site inspections of the banking and other financial institutions authorized to operate in Curacao and St. Maarten. The National ordinance on the supervision of banks and credit institutions… Continue reading BANKING SUPERVISION IN CURACAO AND SINT MAARTEN

SURPRISE RULING BY SINT MAARTEN COURT

Court introduces non-statutory transfer of employees In the Netherlands (the European part of the Kingdom), when an undertaking (onderneming) is transferred from one person or entity to another, by operation of law the employees have an employment relationship with the new owner on the terms and conditions agreed with the old employer. For example, such… Continue reading SURPRISE RULING BY SINT MAARTEN COURT

ASSIGNMENT OF RECEIVABLES IN CURACAO

Notification no longer necessary for perfection of assignment Under Curacao law the transfer of ownership requires transfer of title (levering) pursuant to a valid legal title (geldige titel) by a person who has the power of disposal over the asset (beschikkingsbevoegheid) being transferred. The rules on transfer of title (levering) are equally applicable to the… Continue reading ASSIGNMENT OF RECEIVABLES IN CURACAO

REGULATORY LEGISLATION IN CURACAO

General requirements on the business operation Regulatory legislation in Curacao does not distinguish between different kinds of products, such as for instance hedge funds, but is of a more general nature. The regulatory legislation of Curacao applicable to financial institutions is divided into four categories being: credit institutions, institutional investors, investment institutions & administrators and… Continue reading REGULATORY LEGISLATION IN CURACAO

CURACAO TRUST LEGISLATION

Entered into force on 1 January 2012 On January 1st 2012, new legalization entered into force pursuant to which it is now possible to set up a trust, similar to the trust in Anglo-Saxon common law jurisdictions, in Curacao. This trust is a legal exception to the paritas creditorum rule as we know it and… Continue reading CURACAO TRUST LEGISLATION

PARALLEL DEBT IN CURACAO

New legislation It has become market practice in Curacao, and also in the Netherlands, to create a separate (parallel) obligation, owed by the borrower (or guarantor) to the security agent in its own name, on the terms and in an amount equal to the original (principal) obligations owing by the borrower (or guarantor) to the… Continue reading PARALLEL DEBT IN CURACAO

ON THE GERMAN – DUTCH CARIBBEAN RELATIONSHIP

Interesting editorial in The Daily Herald (St. Maarten) Economic powerhouse “The visit of German ambassador Heinz-Peter Behr last week should serve as an eye-opener on the largely untapped possibilities that European market offers. Up to now much of the attention regarding the “Old Continent” understandably regards the Netherlands and France from which “The Friendly Island”… Continue reading ON THE GERMAN – DUTCH CARIBBEAN RELATIONSHIP

INQUIRY PROCEDURE INTRODUCED IN CURACAO

The Joint Court is the forum of choice for corporate disputes As per January 1, 2012 the amended Corporate Code (Book 2 Civil Code) of Curacao entered into force. The new legislation introduces a so-called inquiry procedure for, amongst others, limited liability companies. The inquiry procedure (a.k.a. investigation proceedings) can result in a court ordered… Continue reading INQUIRY PROCEDURE INTRODUCED IN CURACAO

WILL 2012 BE A BETTER YEAR?

It depends on us! What do you and I have in common? That we probably, just like all other people on earth, are descended from a people that lived in Africa in a far past. Thus considered we are all brothers and sisters. One big family, one big community, but not as closely and not… Continue reading WILL 2012 BE A BETTER YEAR?

FINAL POSTING OF 2011

What a year! This will be my final posting for 2011. What a year. It feels as if the whole world has changed more rapidly than ever before and not only as a result of the Arabic Spring and the economic turmoil. The year 2012 is about to begin and it won’t be an easy… Continue reading FINAL POSTING OF 2011

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND BAD HABITS

Letter to the editor of The Daily Herald Dear Editor, According to Leroy de Weever (DP), he doesn’t need a Corporate Governance Council to come tell him how to do his job. He wants to disband the Corporate Governance Council as soon as possible. Corporate governance rules were designed to protect companies from politicians, in… Continue reading CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND BAD HABITS

APPELLATE PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN

Full review of the case Appellate proceedings in the Dutch Caribbean provide for a full review of the appealed decision: the grounds on which the Appellate Court can reverse the original judgment are not, as in certain other jurisdictions, limited to procedural matters. It is furthermore permissible to introduce new documentary evidence in the course… Continue reading APPELLATE PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN