Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The draft National Ordinance to establish the Integrity Chamber was the focus of debate Monday in the chambers of the Parliament of St. Maarten.
Present for the meeting were all members of Parliament including the Prime Minister and the Justice Minister. As was speculated, a motion of no confidence against the Justice Minister was not tabled by the leader of the US Party MP Frans Richardson.
Discontent with the signing of the Integrity Chamber protocol was however unanimous however at varying levels.
Justice Minister Dennis Richardson advised the Parliament of St. Maarten to submit their proposals to change the ordinance without disturbing the essential elements of the ordinance thus not risking the imposition of a general Kingdom measure.
Relying on the possibility of a negative advise from the Kingdom Council of State aimed at stopping the Kingdom measure should not be taken advised the Justice Minister because the Kingdom Council of Ministers can put the advise aside and still take the decision based on other grounds.
However in the end, the Parliament of St. Maarten indicated that the will submit their proposals at an undetermined time, after the Parliamentary recess which takes place in July.
This decision places the Parliament in default with the time line given by the Dutch for the Integrity Chamber protocol to be sanctioned by the St. Maarten Parliament.
According to MP Theo Heyliger, if the Parliament of St. Maarten cannot be respected, noting that they are the elected representatives of the people, then let the chips fall where they may.
It is now left to be seen just what the Dutch reaction will be.
