Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
~ Tells voters ‘right the wrong’ with clean sweep ~
CUL DE SAC--The National Alliance (NA) profiled itself as a “serious†party committed to offering St. Maarten “a responsible, honest, hardworking government of integrity†at its last public meeting Wednesday evening, one day shy of Friday’s Parliamentary election.
The party’s 23 candidates drove home their message that NA was the party to lead St. Maarten for the next four years, at its meeting on the Scott Property on L.B. Scott Road. A downpour during the meeting, which was referred to as a “shower of blessing,†did not seem to deter attendees, some of whom sought cover but remained to listen to candidates deliver their message.
The various candidates spoke about a mix of issues, including what St. Maarten could expect from the party. NA is seeking a clean sweep of the elections. Increasing the minimum wage and pension, job creation and improving the country’s health care were amongst the issues raised by the various candidates.
NA number seven candidate Member of Parliament (MP) Louie Laveist, the last commissioner to increase the minimum wage in St. Maarten when it was still an island territory of the former Netherlands Antilles, pledged to work towards another increase, this time to NAf. 1,800 (approximately US $1,000) per month. He also spoke about addressing the high parental contributions, amongst other things, if re-elected.
NA number eight candidate Christopher Emmanuel became emotional while addressing attendees, saying this election was about “bread and butter issues†and was dedicated to stalwarts who have passed on, a number of whom he mentioned by name.
NA leader MP William Marlin said voters had two more days to correct the wrongs of the past at the polls on Friday. While a vote for NA would be a vote for stability and integrity, a vote for the United People’s (UP) party would see a change in government in about four months because “half of the candidates on the UP slate would be in Pointe Blanche†in four months, he said.
Marlin said the current UP-led coalition government and the UP party itself had been attracting litigation after litigation and would give St. Maarten only what the court had referred to as “class justice†in the recent vote-buying case involving UP. He said UP had been an “embarrassment†for St. Maarten and rather than telling the people what it had done, that party had spent a million dollars to “hold a party.â€
He said that under the current coalition, the people of St. Maarten were hearing only about “deals after deals†and government was being dragged to court and appealing the cases.
He alluded to the Vorst family who took government to court over payment of what Marlin suggested had been an exorbitant cost of US $495 per square metre for the Vorst Estate land in Cay Hill. Instead of contesting the case, Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Maurice Lake had been happy with the court’s decision that government must pay, he said.
Marlin said every time he had been given an opportunity to serve in government, even if it was for one year, he had worked hard for the people of St. Maarten and had been able to look back at accomplishments secured for the populace.
He mentioned a number of the strides he had made for St. Maarten such as purchasing land for several schools, a number of road initiatives, housing initiatives and his efforts along with the team of advisers to bring home Country St. Maarten.
“Every time I leave office I can walk away with my head up high and look back at the accomplishments for the people of St. Maarten,†Marlin said.
Marlin alluded to several other cases in which St. Maarteners were being trampled on by government, such as the case of former Post Office Director Denicio Richardson who had gone to court to demand monies he was owed and had won his case, but government just appealed the case. Marlin also referred to the case of Marlon Halley, whose family had been occupying land in Simpson Bay for many decades; but had been taken to court to be removed from the land for it to be given to a large developer.
George Pantophlet, the number two candidate, said this election was the season for the people of St. Maarten to “rise again.â€
NA number three candidate former education minister Silveria Jacobs said St. Maarten could not afford another four years of what the country had experienced over the last three years. She said voters needed to “sweep them out,†noting that St. Maarten deserved a government of integrity; not one that would “end up on the front page every day†for issues such as tax evasion and vote buying.
“The National Alliance is a government of integrity,†she said. “The 23 candidates have a heart for St. Maarten.â€
Marlin urged voters not to be intimidated, but to exercise their democratic right to vote. Candidates said the posters, flags and stickers did not vote, but people did. “Don’t let anything deter you,†Marlin said.
He urged voters who had not yet received their voting cards to visit the Department of Civil Registry (Census Office) for them. Those whose identification cards or passports have expired should visit the Department to obtain a temporary identification card so that they are able to vote on Friday, he said.
He said everyone should go out and vote to “right the wrong†of 2010 by giving NA a clean sweep at the polls. “The National Alliance is a hardworking, honest, responsible team to run this country,†Marlin said. “There will not be anyone telling us that we have class justice, because there is no judge can take NA to court.â€
In addition to speeches from the various candidates, there were several performances, primarily of the campaign songs of the various candidates, that had the crowd on their feet.
