Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
Sarah elected new Parliament Chair in spite of De Weever’s cancellation
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams is again at the helm of Parliament. She was elected Parliament Chairwoman by the new National Alliance (NA)-led coalition in an extraordinary meeting of Parliament on Thursday evening Read more
Government has ‘autonomous right’ to dissolve Parliament
~ Governor wrote in 2013 letter ~
PHILIPSBURG--“The right to dissolve Parliament by national decree is a constitutional and autonomous right of the Government,†wrote Governor Eugene Holiday in a letter dated May 16, 2013, to then-Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams when she tried to stopped the then-National Alliance (NA)-led Council of Ministers from invoking Article 59 of the Constitution.
The letter came to light this week as political tension intensified between the newest NA-led coalition with a majority in Parliament and the UP/De Weever/Marlin-Romeo-supported Council of Ministers, after the crumbling of the United People’s (UP) party-led coalition.
The current Marcel Gumbs Cabinet has held tight to the view that it is its right to dissolve Parliament in the face of the shifted majority in Parliament Read more
Do we serve democracy by not holding new elections?
Dear Editor,
Much has been said about the matter of a motion of no confidence in the members of the Gumbs I cabinet by the Parliament of St. Maarten. There has also been much said about that same cabinet's choice not to resign and call for new elections. The prevailing question is "Even if there is an election, what fundamental difference will it make, especially in the light of the fact that the laws relating to the exact process after such a motion of no confidence is passed have yet to be created, and the fact that there will still be no rules to prevent the ship jumping that has led to this point and preceded other changes in government?" This letter seeks to advance two arguments in favor of these new elections Read more
Editorial - Something has to give
The latest news last night in the ongoing constitutional saga was that the “new majority†has organised a Parliament meeting of its own to elect a new president, vice-president and second vice-president in place of those of the former UP-led coalition. This obviously will not be a “regular†meeting called by the secretariat on the instruction of the current chairperson and the legality of any decisions taken consequently will no doubt be questioned by those who favour dissolving the legislature and going back to the polls.
When the same thing happened in Curaçao in 2012, the new majority’s gatherings created a situation where at one point there were two different persons claiming to be President of Parliament Read more
President of Parliament Dr. Lloyd Richardson makes position available
PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – On Monday, 12th October, President of Parliament Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson, made his position to Parliament by informing the Secretariat of the House of Parliament Read more
Editorial - Deadlocked for now
Anybody expecting that the Parliament session on Tuesday to elect a new President and two Vice-Presidents might lead to some breakthrough in the current constitutional impasse between the new majority and the Gumbs cabinet was disappointed. Although both President Dr. Lloyd Richardson and First Vice-President Leona Marlin-Romeo had publicly made their positions available, they were not present and Second Vice-President Cornelius de Weever, part of the same former UP-led coalition, closed the proceedings as soon as they had begun, saying he needed legal clarification due to the Council of Ministers having passed a national decree to dissolve the legislature and hold snap elections.
The incoming NA/DP/UPS/Matser/Lake coalition did not appreciate this and called for an urgent new meeting about De Weever’s “illegal act†and its impact on the country’s democratic representation Read more
New coalition says De Weever acted illegally, calls for urgent meeting
PHILIPSBURG--Second Vice-Chairman of Parliament Cornelius de Weever performed an “illegal act†when he chaired Tuesday’s plenary session of Parliament and closed it swiftly without giving Members of Parliament (MPs) the possibility to react, say representatives of the new coalition in Parliament.
After De Weever closed the session they submitted a request for an urgent meeting of Parliament to talk about his “illegal act†as well as “the consequences for the functioning of Parliament and for the representation of the people of St Read more
New coalition wants ministers to resign before talks on stability
PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs’ invitation to faction leaders in Parliament to meet separately with him today, Wednesday, in an attempt to get “support for solutions for stability in government†has been rebuffed by members of the new coalition in Parliament.
In response to Gumbs’ invitation to meet, faction leaders Members of Parliament (MPs) William Marlin (National Alliance), Sarah Wescot-Williams (Democratic Party), Frans Richardson (United St Read more
PRESS RELEASE: NATIONAL ADDRESS BY PM GUMBS
My fellow St. Maarteners,
I want to address you now directly, after a week of political turmoil which has culminated in a constitutional crisis. The outcome of this crisis will determine the democratic future of St. Maarten. So it is extremely important that everyone, young and old, understand what it constitutes.
The legal nature of this crisis however is very complicated, although for some of us it seems to be so simple. You may have followed the discussions in the press Read more
DP proposes short-term cabinet, electoral reform, election in a year
DP members Giselle York, Sarah Wescot-Williams (leader and MP) and Emil Lee.
PHILIPSBURG--Because snap elections will not solve ship-jumping amongst Members of Parliament, the Democratic Party (DP) says that if it boils down to elections having to be held in the country, the current majority coalition should be given a chance to appoint a “serious†cabinet for 12 months and mandate Parliament to complete electoral reform in a year so that this can be incorporated in the next elections.
DP leader Sarah Wescot-Williams said the party recognised that Governor Eugene Holiday was faced with two basic decisions Read more
Plenary session of Parliament to appoint new President and Vice Presidents set for October 13
PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The House of Parliament will meet in a plenary session on October 13 to appoint the President and two Vice Presidents.
The public Plenary Session is set for Tuesday, at 9.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg. The agenda point is the appointment of the President and Vice Presidents of Parliament.
This meeting of the House was requested by the National Alliance Faction Members of Parliament (MPs) W.V Read more
Editorial - Unfortunate chapter
While Dutch Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Minister Ronald Plasterk says it’s up to St. Maarten to solve its current political, constitutional crisis (see related article), the problem could very well end up on the table of The Hague. After all, a Governor who believes a decision by Government goes against the interest of the kingdom’s guarantee function must submit it to the Crown and by extension the Kingdom Council of Ministers for annulment.
Whether this has been done already with the Gumbs cabinet’s draft national decree to dissolve Parliament and call early elections is not known, but other than signing it that seems to be the only alternative Read more
Gumbs vows not to resign
PHILIPSBURG--Feeling strengthened by the opinion of constitutional law expert Professor Arjen van Rijn and convinced that the St. Maarten Constitution must be upheld, St. Maarten Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has decided not to resign, and neither will the rest of the Council of Ministers.
“As Prime Minister I have the responsibility to protect the Constitution and to carry it out the way it was written Read more
William to meet Governor today
PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) leader Member of Parliament (MP) William Marlin will be meeting with Governor Eugene Holiday today, Monday, on the formation of the new majority coalition in Parliament.
The meeting is on request of Governor Holiday Read more
Sarah: Refusing to resign is breach of country’s constitutional legal system
~ Govt. asked for Van Rijn’s opinion after the fact ~
PHILIPSBURG--The refusal of the Gumbs cabinet members to tender their resignations after no longer enjoying the support of the country’s highest legislative body is a breach of St. Maarten’s constitutional legal system.
This was the firm statement from Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams on Sunday in reaction to statements by Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs that he and the rest of the minister would not resign Read more
Sarah: Elections will not solve ship-jumping issue
~ Cabinet should resign immediately ~
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams said on Friday that calling early elections will not solve the issue of Members of Parliament (MPs) switching their support from one party to another Read more
Sarah confirms she will assume Chairmanship of Parliament
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams confirmed on Friday that she will be assuming the position of the new Chairperson of Parliament.
DP forms part of the new eight-seat-majority coalition in Parliament Read more
Editorial - Eyes on the ball
It appears St. Maarten is again caught in a “Mexican standoff,†as NA leader William Marlin called it back in 2013 when much of the cabinet with his party’s signature wanted to dissolve Parliament and call early elections after losing its majority support Read more
Sarah: Dismissed ministers cannot turn around to dissolve Parliament
~ Ministers should resign ~
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams says ministers who are dismissed cannot “turn around and dissolve Parliament.â€
She was reacting to news that the Gumbs cabinet, against whom a motion of no confidence was passed on Wednesday, had submitted a National Decree to Governor Eugene Holiday on Thursday to dissolve Parliament and call new elections Read more
New majority in Parliament to focus on ‘needs of residents’
~ Portfolios divided, NA gets PM ~
HARBOUR VIEW--The new eight-seat-majority coalition in Parliament formed on Wednesday plans to focus on the needs of residents and is prepared to make safety and security “a top priority†and to give the people of St. Maarten “an open Government that gives account on all levels.â€
The new majority comprises former United People’s (UP) party Members of Parliament (MPs) Silvio Matser and Maurice Lake; National Alliance (NA) MPs William Marlin, Silveria Jacobs, Christophe Emmanuel and George Pantophlet; Democratic Party (DP) MP Sarah Wescot-Williams; and United St Read more