It’s now confirmed that Jules James is to become substitute Member of Parliament (MP) for incarcerated United Democrats (UD) leader Theodore Heyliger, as the party’s candidate next in line based on personal votes during last year’s election, restoring the UD/SMCP coalition’s minimal majority of eight seats. That he brings the necessary relevant experience will hopefully contribute to much-needed stability after seven different governments in less than nine years.
More upheaval is also just about the last thing St. Maarten needs as it continues to recover from the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record, although some appear to be advocating yet another political change. However, most people probably wouldn’t agree with anything that could hold up the current rebuilding process even longer, particularly projects to be executed with means from the Dutch-sponsored Trust Fund managed by the World Bank.
James entering the legislature does mean an extra elected representative on the payroll, because Heyliger will rightly continue to collect his salary pending an irrevocable conviction based on the “innocent until proven guilty” premise. There have been a few sparse complaints about this additional cost to the taxpayer, but that’s a direct consequence of requiring a replacement system because parliamentarians once in pre-trial detention are automatically suspended.
Mind you, St. Maarten is the only country in the Dutch kingdom with this article in its Constitution to safeguard democracy. On the other hand, the prosecution must request permission from a judge to officially place legislators under investigation, which up to now has been granted on each occasion.
Speaking of salaries, the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT has again asked when MPs will take a 10 per cent pay cut like the ministers did. During Wednesday’s debate on the draft 2019 budget in the Central Committee, United St. Maarten Party (US party) faction member Rolando Brison suggested figures didn’t show the cabinet’s expenses were reduced accordingly.
It must also be said in all fairness that everyone, including politicians and public administrators in the Netherlands, knew – or should have known – well before country status was achieved per 10-10-10 what the salaries of St. Maarten’s Parliament would be. This was also decided in a public meeting of the then-Island Council earlier.
Nevertheless, local MPs make US $11,539 per month compared to $7,111 in Curaçao and $6,096 in Aruba. Reducing their amount by 10 per cent would still leave $10,385, so that too seems a relatively small price to pay for sending an important message of solidarity to the voters.
