New President of the Integrity Chamber Appointed
Mr. G.R. (Rik) Bergman has been appointed as the new President of the Integrity Chamber Sint Maarten effective January 1, 2024. The appointment by the Kingdom Council of Ministers comes after a careful selection process and is based on the binding recommendation by the two other members of the Integrity Chamber, Rafael Boasman and Hans Lodder.
Bergman is a lawyer by profession with 25 years of experience practicing law on Sint Maarten. Since 2015 he spearheaded the role of mediation in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, being the first licensed and professional mediator on Sint Maarten. As former Dean of the Sint Maarten Bar Association, Bergman promoted the togetherness of the Bar and the professionalism of its members. He contributed to international relations for Sint Maarten in his capacity as British Honorary Consul and has been active in several foundations and public causes.
Bergman has also been a long-time member of the Council of Advice of Sint Maarten. Joining in 2011, first as extra-ordinary member and later as member. With the appointment as President of the Integrity Chamber, Bergman has resigned from the Council of Advice, as the two functions are incompatible by law.
Bergman is the second President of the Integrity Chamber, succeeding the former President, Mrs. H.W. (Rian) Vogels. He is appointed for a term of three (3) years and can be reappointed once. The position of President is part time.
As the new President of the Integrity Chamber Bergman is committed to promoting integrity on Sint Maarten. “I am honoured to have been appointed as President of the Integrity Chamber”, stated Bergman. “From the day I opened my law firm in Simpson Bay in 1997, Sint Maarten has been dear to my heart, and it is my desire to see continuous progress on Sint Maarten. With my experience in the field of law, mediation, and various supervisory roles, I believe that I can contribute to the important work of the Integrity Chamber, to integrity awareness, and integrity building.”
The Integrity Chamber is an independent administrative body tasked with promoting and enhancing integrity within government and government entities. Its core tasks are providing solicited and unsolicited advice on integrity matters, investigating suspected misconducts, and continuously creating awareness about integrity in the community.