Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG--Just over a month after gaining the support of ten Members of Parliament (MPs), the United People's (UP) coalition has lost the support of one partner: Democratic Party ((DP)) leader MP Sarah Wescot-Williams.
The withdrawal of support for the coalition has been considered a foregone conclusion since earlier this month, after Wescot-Williams announced that her party's minister candidates had been passed over in favour of those submitted by (DP) parliamentarian Cornelius de Weever to formateur of the new cabinet UP leader Theo Heyliger. De Weever is on the verge of expulsion from the party for this and other actions (see related story).
Wescot-Williams informed Heyliger of the withdrawal of support from the coalition in an e-mail dated November 18. That e-mail was shared with the press by Wescot-Williams on Thursday.
She stated in the e-mail that acting on behalf of (DP), she had signed an agreement "to participate and support" the formation of the new government for the period 2014-2018. That agreement was signed "under the condition" that the working-out of details of a governing accord and appointment of ministers "will be decided on collectively."
"None of these has transpired and I hereby withdraw my support as described in addenda I and II of October 9, 2014," Wescot-Williams said.
Without Wescot-Williams, the coalition still has nine members. A minimum of eight MPs is needed for a majority in the 15-seat Parliament.
Meanwhile, Wescot-Williams, who is also the country's outgoing prime minister, informed the Secretariat of Parliament on November 19 that she is her party's fraction leader. De Weever had been the party's fraction leader since the Second Parliament of St. Maarten started its term on October 10.
