Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG:--- Formateur Honarable Member of Parliament (MP) Theodore Heyliger during his deliberations with political factions as well as with individual MPs who have been elected to Parliament based on the August 29, 2014 parliamentary elections, as of Thursday, October 9th, the United People's (UP) party/Cornelius de Weever coalition, has received the support of two additional MPs leading to a broad-base government for the country of 10-seats in the House of Parliament.Formateur Theodore Heyliger met with the Leader of the Democratic Party ((DP)) Hon. MP-elect Sarah Wescot-Williams who has agreed to support the existing agreed upon governing accord of the UP/Cornelius de Weever coalition; as well as supporting the division of ministerial portfolios of the aforementioned coalition for the governing period 2014-2018.MP-elect Hon. Leona Marlin-Romeo has also agreed to support the UP/Cornelius de Weever coalition based on the existing agreements and portfolio division.Formateur Heyliger said this is a very positive development for the country where it concerns political stability for the upcoming four-year governing period.While the country looks somewhat more stable with a broad based government it is shameful that Leona Marlin Romeo did not tell the people of St. Maarten her true intentions. Marlin Romeo told members of the press that she was not going anywhere and that she intended to remain with the USP for this governing period while she will be on the USP slate for the 2018 elections.As for the leader of the Democratic Party it was clear last week Sunday when she held the (DP) press conference and refused to say whether or not she would join the UPP/ De Weever coalition. Wescot Williams was asked several times by SMN News if she was going to join the coalition especially since MP elect Cornelius de Weever did not resign from the Democratic Party. Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams said that she was not going to rule out anything and that as the leader of the Democratic Party she was going to wait and see what the informateurs and UPP was going to tell her and offer her.SMN News even asked the (DP) leader if the Democratic Party was the main instigator in breaking and making of governments during the 2010-2014 governing period and if she had made a deal with the UPP leader while in Greece some weeks ago. Wescot Williams said she was never going to engage in two negotiations at the same time and furthermore the (DP) was blamed for lots of things but people should give the (DP) credit for the good things they also did.SMN News has learnt that several key members of the Democratic Party did not give the leader their support to form government with the UPP. Shortly after the press conferrence last week board members of the Democratic Party clearly stated that the (DP) will not join the coalition but their leader will remain in opposition.
