The much-anticipated United Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM)/Democratic Party (DP)/Party for Progress (PFP)/Nation Opportunity Wealth (NOW) government is scheduled to be sworn in next week Friday (see related story). Only five of the usual seven ministers are expected to take the oath of office for the time being.
Two of these will thus handle double portfolios until the remaining two members of the Mercelina Cabinet can be appointed. Of the names mentioned in this newspaper’s Monday edition, those of NOW leader Christophe Emmanuel and PFP former parliamentarian Raeyhon Peterson are missing, reportedly because of screening problems.
The exact nature of such is unclear, but may have to do with their legal issues in the past. While there was some indication the incoming coalition might not cooperate with the Council of Ministers’ installation by Governor Ajamu Baly in protest, it seems wisdom may prevail.
After all, effective May 10 members of the caretaker Jacobs II Cabinet elected into Parliament cannot continue to hold both these executive and legislative functions. It regards four caretaker ministers, which could potentially leave only three to run the country.
Besides, almost four months after the election is a long-enough formation process, even though they’ve been at it since November in the Netherlands. As the custom is for outgoing governments not to make new policies and related commitments, the change of guard should in in principle be completed expeditiously also to reflect the outcome at the polls in January.
The four smallest parties with two seats each are included and the two biggest were left out, but that is possible in a parliamentary democracy based on majority rule. It also has to do with the latter two being part of the outgoing government, while the incoming coalition is all about change.
They will soon get an opportunity to show the voters just what this means in practice.
