SXMElections.com

~ Shows govt inadequate, unprepared ~

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party ((DP)) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams has given the coalition government a thumbs-down for its recently-released governing programme.

Wescot-Williams said on Sunday that her analysis of the document showed that government was “inadequate,” and “unprepared.”

“I cannot but express utter disappointment in the document that should have spelled out government’s vision for the remainder of this governing term,” Wescot-Williams said on Sunday. “This governing programme is a collection of (ongoing) ministerial projects, parliamentary wishes and individual pet projects/ideas, totally void of the connecting dots and a bigger picture.”

She said she would “not accept” Government now saying that the programme needs to be tweaked, because the coalition partners had called for it to be executed when they presented the document.

“Government would have been much more credible if, in presenting its 2014-2018 programme to Parliament, it would’ve stated that it needed to rework the wish list of the coalition into a coordinated, doable plan. … If the Government was unable to comply, they should have informed Parliament of such,” she said.

Wescot-Williams said some (DP) initiatives were on the wish list in the programme. She said too that the contradictions in the document were glaring.

One such glaring contradiction, she said, is the matter of integrity and good governance on pages five and six of the programme. “Is Government yet to decide on these reports, according to page five, or is Government set to carry them out as page six would indicate? On this premise, I ask that Government clarify the point on the integrity reports. By the way, no mention is made of the imminent report by Transparency International, due for release shortly.”

She said too that the paragraph on financial discipline/management was the most puzzling of all.

“I don’t know whether the poorly-edited programme was a strategy or total disrespect for the readers of this programme, or if someone dropped the ball. Without wasting too many words on the subject of presentation and grammar, I had expected, after the long wait, a more thorough paper. But I guess the adage ‘if you can’t convince them, confuse them,’ seems to have been the leading thought,” she said.

She requested clarification on the re-allocation of responsibility from Government to businesses in the Adopt-A-School programme. She asked what responsibilities were being re-allocated.

“The constitutional responsibility to provide education lies squarely with the Government. What organisation will monitor this massive shift of responsibility and how? How is this a win-win investment?

“Did the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports not just recently release its vision, mission, strategic objectives and priority areas in which it is stated that the necessary repairs and overall improvements needed will be carried out through a long-term maintenance plan?” she asked.

“Will Government, in the re-allocation to the business sector, in the meantime finance maintenance of other schools? Does the Government not in this very same programme state that they will offer incentives to adopt a school?” she asked.

She also questioned what Government’s commitment to electoral reform would bring, if anything at all.

She said too that it was a mystery where the resources would come from to execute Government’s plans to construct a modern medical facility and a mental health facility.

“I am pleased to read that government is committed to the National Development Plan. Maybe they should have awaited that plan before making a presentation of this governing programme. While again, the Government says all the right things about medical tourism, Colombia, which is beefing up its medical services big time to cater to medical tourism, proudly lists St. Maarten as one of its biggest clients,” she noted.

“Tax incentives are buzz words throughout the governing programme – tax incentives for special groups and fiscal incentives for corporations. … But Government does not know yet what kind of tax system we will have; that, according to Government, is to be studied.”

She said the programme indicated that a comprehensive labour policy was to be developed. However, Government is currently focussing on several single labour- related projects.

“I recommend to Government that they do not have far to look. Read the Central Bank’s report and the IMF [International Monetary Fund – Ed.] recommendations regarding our labour market and government policies.”

She also asked what government’s plan on the monetary union was, as the governing programme had two completely opposing views.

“Another remarkable intention of Government is to hire out police officers to businesses, because in Government’s opinion this will yield income and Government can attract more policemen. Excuse me? This statement follows on the heel of Government’s own admission of the challenges faced with recruiting officers and remunerating officers adequately, etc.,” Wescot-Williams said.

She said she would closely monitor Government’s “commitment” to University of St. Martin. “Government establishes that the youth is the future and the most valuable resource, but yet dedicates two lines to the chapter of Youth Affairs.”

She said the programme did not mention “a word” about the National Economic Framework and its initiatives and input from stakeholders.

“There are so many more questions resulting from the governing programme … that it begs the question: who drafted this?” she said. “I HOPE this programme is tabled for debate in Parliament soon, but I do not hold my breath.”