PM: "I think that we should surely strive for a campaign where the electorate is informed and the message is clear"
The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams, members of her Cabinet and President of the Democratic Party Mr. Michael Ferrier were some of the handful of attendees at the One St. Maarten Peoples Party Debate centered on Electoral and Campaign reform on Thursday evening.
Prime Minister Wescot-Williams has emphasized that political parties and the campaign promises of politicians should be held accountable through new laws related to electoral reform. "It is no secret that I have been championing electoral reform as I sincerely believe that we should avoid it being intimidating for persons to be casting their vote. I am a proponent of a more sober voting environment, of people understanding what parties and candidates are saying to them and voters understanding what things are feasible and to hold politicians accountable for the campaign promises they make. I think that we should surely strive for a campaign where the electorate is informed and the message is clear to the electorate in what they can expect from their Government," stressed the PM.
"I am looking at electoral reform in general considering what we have been seeing for the last few years, including the changing of factions and giving up seats. I would like to propose that I prepare a position paper and discuss this with parliament and discuss where we want to go with this and then subsequently move to the drafting of legislation and moving it through Parliament.