Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
Parliament Chairwoman Sarah Wescot-Williams caucuses with Parliament Presidium members MPs Cornelius de Weever and Leona Marlin-Romeo on whether she should continue chairing Thursday’s session of Parliament after she submitted her resignation as Parliament head (Rajesh Chintaman photo).
PHILIPSBURG--Chairwoman of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams officially tendered her resignation from that post via a letter to Parliament on Thursday. She remains a Member of Parliament for the Democratic Party ((DP)).
Her resignation came a day after she announced at a press conference she had made the position of parliament head “available†to the United People’s (UP)-led coalition. This move was in reaction to UP leader/formateur of the new cabinet Theo Heyliger opting to send the names of minister candidates submitted by (DP) parliamentarian Cornelius de Weever for security and integrity screenings, instead of the two names Wescot-Williams submitted on behalf of (DP).
Wescot-Williams informed fellow MPs of her resignation at the start of Thursday’s plenary session of parliament. The session was convened for the approval of the law to establish the Bureau Intellectual Property (BIP).
Her decision to resign from her post is due to her no longer having the assurance of the support of the majority in Parliament. She thanks fellow MPs for their support in the past and the opportunity to serve as Parliament head.
Her stint in that post lasted a mere month and three days having been appointed on October 10.
Wescot-Williams suspended the meeting after reading her resignation letter to caucus with the Presidium of Parliament - Deputy Chairwoman of Parliament MP Leona Marlin-Romeo and Second Deputy Chairman De Weever - on whether or not they wanted her to continue to chair the session. They consented and there was no objection to this from any other MP after the session was reopened.
The coalition, comprising the seven UP parliamentarians, De Weever and Marlin-Romeo, will have to appoint a new parliament head. Speculations are that that person will be MP Dr. Lloyd Richardson (UP).
