While the population is following the constant political bickering between our two highest executives namely our Honorable Prime Minister, Mrs. Sarah Wescott Williams and our Honorable Deputy Prime Minister Mr. William Marlin all with the aim of wanting to remain in political Office at all cost they are damaging the good name of our country St. Maarten. After reading the daily newspapers, the online news and listening to the radio stations in the manner that the above appointed officials have been conducting themselves it leaves me with no other choice than to believe that these two individuals is all about who should govern our beautiful Country St. Maarten that is becoming a laughing stock to the world because of political immaturity.
A year ago it was all celebration, fanfare and a happy moments when the coalition of the NA, DP and the three independent members formed the coalition which eventually lead to the UP Ministers having to resign from political office but yet collecting a salary which is part of the grant that is given to Ministers if they happen to leave office before the four year term is up for our elections for Parliament which is due in 2014, since we had election in 2010.
The continuous blaming and exchange of degrading words between the leaders of the NA and the DP does no good for the people who they say they will represent with dignity after being elected by the same people who they now have no regards for. There are so many issues and challenges that our potential country is faced with and instead of taking care of the business of the people we have seen a display of opposing views and accusing of the parties that formed the Government last year 2012 now having a personal vendetta against each other simply because MP Laville having withdrawn his support from the 2nd Cabinet of PM Sarah Wescott Williams by way of a letter which according to the constitution can be legally done because nowhere in that same constitution of St. Maarten is indicated that this exercise must go to parliament for approval. In Article 33 sub 2 states the following: If a Minister does not enjoy the confidence of Parliament, he or she shall surrender his office". In other words he or she must resign. Nowhere is it stated as the former president drs Rudolphe Samuel said in one of the parliamentary sessions that this procedure must be done in a parliament meeting. So in principle a letter indicating the withdrawal of the majority support for any cabinet can be done by drafting an official letter and submitting the letter to the relevant authorities.
However after doing this there is a process that must be followed and a national ordinance should be imposed in order to have this exercise completed. These are the steps that must be taken. If a new Government has indicated by way of a letter that they have formed a new majority in parliament this should be respected and adhered to like any normal citizen who must adhere to the laws of the land which these same politicians created. If a law is broken by a citizen or by any elected official there are consequences that would follow and this we have seen in the past with some of our elected officials now serving and who have served in the past so this is nothing new.
However I would appeal to our political leaders that are now governing our country not to allow St. Maarten to be put in a bad light and to destroy everything that we together have been able to build. We have over 100 nationalities that share this country with us because they know that they can migrate to St. Maarten and benefit from the strong economy that we have created. Visitors or tourist comes here all year through to share the positive experience that this country offers. We do not want a group of politicians that are only concerned with their personal agendas in order to maintain power at all cost, to destroy our country. Our people must stand up and say enough is enough. We are all St. Maarteners and therefore we must learn to work with each other for the general interest of our people. Please bare this in mind. As elected officials we have sworn to uphold our constitution when we took the oath in order to display integrity honesty and most of all that we will serve our people with dignity. Let us stop the bickering and get back to the business of the people. I’m not here to defend any of the political parties in Government but I have written this article as a concerned citizen to save our country from the path it is now on. If we love our country let us show it by our actions. Long live St. Maarten and our people. God bless this nation.
C. Jeffrey Richardson