Wednesday’s front page headline “Informateurs seeking feedback on elections” raised a few eyebrows among political observers.
After all, while such persons exploring the possible formation of a next government also having consultations with others than elected representatives is not uncommon, the scale at which this is now being done via email has no known precedence in Dutch Caribbean politics.
The release mentioned community engagement and specifically referred to boards of selected civic organisations and government-owned companies. Hand-picked stakeholders are thus to help government promote sustainable decisions and improve the efficiency, legitimacy and transparency of their decision-making.
Governor Ajamu Baly has asked Nilda Arduin and Candia Joseph to perform the task “in research with various actors both in- and outside of Parliament.” It’s an interesting approach, to say the least, on which the duo is to report by Friday, February 2.
That’s none too soon, as the new Parliament takes office on Saturday, February 10, leaving one week to presumably name a “formateur” who would finish the job before then. Of course, there is already a coalition agreement between the four two-seat parties United Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM), Democratic Party (DP), Party for Progress (PFP) and Nation Opportunity Wealth (NOW) for a minimal majority of eight in the 15-seat legislature which incudes a division of ministerial portfolios, as the governor acknowledged.
However, keep in mind that once candidates for these executive posts have been nominated they must undergo the usual screening process that can take some time. One may therefore expect the current caretaker Jacobs II Cabinet to remain in office a for while.
However, such a de facto “lame duck” Council of Ministers situation is hardly ideal from a democratic point of view and should never take too long.
