The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams again reiterated that the reason elections are being held in August is based on the date for the new Parliament having to be installed being the tenth of October 2010. The Prime Minister made her remarks on her weekly call-in Radio Program One on One with the Prime Minister; “I am still hearing comments that the fact that elections are being held in August is being questioned. This is being put in a wrong context by some politicians; we are having elections in August because of the choice that was made to have Parliament on St. Maarten commence on October of each year. Our electoral law stipulates the periods that are to be held prior to elections, such as postulation day being a prime example. The way the law is formally is that the elections must be held between the latter part of August and the beginning of September latest and I think that the discussion on an election date is being confused by some with the possibility of the Government dissolving Parliament. In 2012 and 2013 there was a change in Parliament resulting in a new coalition and not new elections. In order to come to new elections in the four governing terms you will need to dissolve Parliament which was not the case at that time.
The argument therefore now is that elections are being held in the hurricane season but that should have been foreseen when the date of October tenth was chosen for the start of Parliament. Unless Parliament decides to amend that law this date is fixed and no member of Parliament, faction or what have you has ever thought on changing the date of elections,” commented Prime Minister Wescot-Williams.
Nature Foundation Chief Ranger Etienne Lake Sworn In AsExtra-Ordinary Police Officer First Dedicated Environmental Police Officerfor St. Maarten
Chief Ranger for the St. Maarten Nature Foundation Mr. Etienne Lake was sworn in as St. Maarten’s first dedicated environmental police officer by the Minister of Justice the Honorable Dennis Richardson at a swearing in Ceremony at the Philipsburg Police Station last Friday. Lake’s swearing in makes him the first extra-ordinary police officer dedicated to the environment on St. Maarten.
Since the establishment of the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected area and the Service Level Agreement between the Nature Foundation and the Ministry of VROMI, Mr. Lake now has the capacity to recommend fines for environmental infractions and to conduct policing duties when it comes to environmental matters. Mr. Lake followed the intensive BAVPOL Extra-ordinary Police Officer Training Course and has for many years also been active as an officer in the Voluntary Corp of St. Maarten VKS.
With Lake’s swearing in the Nature Foundation has the capacity to enact law enforcement activities with regards to the recording and tackling of breaches of Environmental ordinances on St. Maarten. The Ministry of Justice was instrumental in ensuring that St. Maarten has a new, dedicated Environmental Law Enforcement Officer.