Governor Eugene Holiday is departing (see related story), having served the maximum two six-year terms. He started his tenure as governor when St. Maarten gained country status per 10-10-10 and will always remain its first.
Who is to succeed him probably won’t become officially known until the Jacobs II Cabinet nominates a candidate to be approved by the Kingdom Council of Ministers RMR in The Hague and ratified by the Crown. The recent passing of long-time Acting Governor Reynold Groeneveld obviously excluded that possibility, so seeing what choice is made should be interesting.
The function concerns a mainly ceremonial one, be it not without political significance. Governors formally head the local government, but also represent both the RMR and Crown. They must sign any national ordinance or decree into law and can refuse to do so if it is deemed in conflict with the general interest, the country’s constitution, the kingdom charter, or applicable international treaties, submitting it to the RMR for annulment.
Governors also still play a role in the process to form governments and screening of candidate public administrators that King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands no longer does. More importantly, they can mediate in case of governing crises.
Holiday certainly had his work cut out for him in that sense, with voters having to go to the polls almost every two instead of the regular four years.
Perhaps the biggest challenge he faced was with contradictions in the political system, whereby a Council of Ministers against which a motion of no-confidence was adopted by a majority of Parliament can in turn dissolve the legislature and call snap elections. Legal advice sought on the issue varied, so a compromise was made so the latter took place but a “new coalition” that sent home government could appoint an interim cabinet until the early election.
Holiday was able to handle these and other delicate issues without compromising the dignity and integrity required for an office of such high esteem. He may prove a hard act to follow.
