From left: Benjamin Ortega, Ife Badejo, Jennifer Carty and COCI Executive Director Jude Houston.
PHILIPSBURG--Jennifer Carty, Ifelola “Ife” Badejo and Benjamin Ortega were re-elected to the St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry (COCI) Board of Directors to serve another three-year term.
Carty blazed the trail in the elections, held on Friday, December 3, winning the most votes to represent both the small and large business categories outright. She however opted to take up the seat to represent large businesses.
Carty and Ortega will represent the large business sector, while Badjeo will represent the small business sector.
Carty and Ortega were elected from a field of three candidates. Carty garnered 23 votes, while Ortega captured 22 votes. The other candidate for the large business sector Peggy Ann Brandon, copped 10 votes.
Carty also captured the seat to become a representative of the small business sector after capturing 70 votes from amongst six candidates. In this category, Badejo copped 66 votes; Nzinga Lake 60 votes, Edsel Gumbs 43 votes; Michel Arrindell 30 votes and Amanda Vidal- Bedminister 15 votes.
Since Carty won outright in both categories, she could have chosen which category she would represent for the next three years. Carty chose to represent Large Businesses. This means that Badejo as first runner up in the Small Business category would represent this category for another three years.
