49 candidates pass
naturalisation test
PHILIPSBURG--Forty-nine non-nationals residing in St. Maarten passed the first round of naturalisation testing on Saturday, the Lt. Governor’s office reported late Saturday.
Saturday morning, 62 persons from all around the world took the first-ever written examination in St. Maarten for Dutch citizenship in the Netherlands Antilles. The successful candidates now will be eligible to enter the second round of testing.
Candidates originally from various countries, including Egypt, Kuwait, the United Kingdom, China and several Caribbean islands, all seemed excited about writing the exam and about being the first to write the test that would help decide whether they would qualify for Dutch citizenship, exam supervisor Mireille Peterson-Regales explained on Saturday. The majority of the candidates were from the Dominican Republic.
The naturalisation test had been administered in the past as an in-person interview by a selection committee.
It took close to two hours for the exam correctors and the overseers to complete their checking and rechecking of the candidates’ test papers after the candidates had all left Sundial School, this year’s local testing site.
The first round of tests was a Social Studies exam asking the candidates general knowledge questions about life and living in St. Maarten, Peterson-Regales explained. The candidates had one hour to answer correctly at least 28 of the 47 multiple-choice questions, to qualify to move on to the second round of testing.
Candidates in Curaçao and Bonaire took their exams at the same time Saturday. Saba and St. Eustatius did not have candidates for this period.
The next round of testing will be based on listening, reading, writing, and speaking English. This is scheduled for May 10. Peterson-Regales, one of the persons responsible for checking the first tally of points after the tests were handed in Saturday, said the candidates had seemed capable orally, but they might have had difficulty with reading and writing.
Local Chief of Police Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards visited the test venue and in a brief address offered the participants words of encouragement. He was the first person notified of the success rate after the exam checkers emerged from their locked room at Sundial School.
The dress code policy was strictly enforced. Several candidates had to leave the testing grounds and return appropriately dressed before they were allowed to take the test. The policy of no shorts, sandals or spaghetti straps will be enforced again during the second round of testing.
The next chance for these candidates to take the test will be in six months. The naturalisation test is held twice each year.
Local skills re-educator Educa RRR was one of the agencies that had prepared the candidates for the exams.
