Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
HARBOUR VIEW--The process of searching through the lives of the minister candidates for the new Cabinet with a fine-tooth comb is in “its final stage,†but has not yet been completed. This has led Governor Eugene Holiday to grant formateur of the new Cabinet United People’s (UP) party leader Theo Heyliger a new deadline of December 16 to present his final report.
The screening of minister candidates covers a background review of personal and professional credentials, their financial position, fiscal compliance (tax and social security premiums), a judicial check for possible suspicious transactions, the security background and, if necessary, the health condition of the candidates.
The purpose of the screening is to assess the integrity, independence and solvency of the candidates, as well as the stability of the new government, according to a statement from the Governor’s Cabinet.
Member of Parliament Heyliger met with Holiday on Friday, ahead of his November 23 deadline for his final report, to give his progress report on the screening of the candidates for the posts of prime minister, ministers, minister plenipotentiary and acting minister plenipotentiary.
The current Wescot-Williams III Cabinet has remained in office as a caretaker government since the August 29 Parliamentary Elections.
This is the first time in St. Maarten’s history, pre- and post-country status, that it has been without a new Cabinet following an election.
Some have pointed to the additional screening of minister candidates as demanded by the Dutch government as the cause for the prolonged delay.
