SXMElections.com

St. Maarten News – Prime Minister William Marlin disagrees with the opinion of political analyst Julio Romney that his proposal for electoral reform will result in a dictatorship. “That’s unfortunate. I don’t agree with his take on it but his contribution adds to a lively debate,” Marlin said yesterday.

The three-strong committee tasked with the fine-tuning of electoral reform proposals had its first meeting on Tuesday and it will present its plan of approach and a timeline to Marlin today.

:In the past Romney has proposed that MPs who leave their party should give up their seat and walk away. That is always the most welcome,” Marlin said. “But what happens if they choose not to give up their seat?”

“My proposal remains that MPs have a choice to stay with their party and vote their conscience. I advocate that an MP who jumps ship won’t be able to use his seat to form a government with others. That may eliminate ship jumping, but if someone decides to leave his faction anyway, there will be no reward.”

It should not be so that even before a government is sworn in someone can say, I’m gone over there because that gives me more power or options, Marlin said, an obvious reference to what happened after the elections in 2014.

The PM announced that there will be a public debate about reform proposals. “The more people react, the livelier the debate will be. It is Mr. Romney’s good right to disagree with me.”

Marlin said that there will be one or two public meetings about the reform proposals. “Romney is welcome to present his arguments there.”