Governor Eugene Holiday and members of the new government at the Constituting Meeting after the swearing-in on Tuesday. (Dimetri Whitfield photo)
~ Stresses importance of finalising urgent matters ~
PHILIPSBURG--Governor Eugene Holiday on Tuesday urged the newly-sworn-in Council of Ministers to use their oath as a guide in the fulfilment of their duties.
“Having such a guide and anchor is important under normal circumstances and even more so during challenging times,” Holiday said.
Sworn in almost two months after the previous Council of Ministers made their positions available were Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs Silveria Jacobs; Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure and Deputy Prime Minister Christopher Wever; Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Affairs Egbert Doran; Minister of Finance and Acting Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Ardwell Irion; and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Rene Violenus.
Holiday reemphasised that St. Maarten faces several pressing challenges for its future development.
“Considering the interim nature of this government, it was agreed that you will give priority to concluding the legislation regarding the combating of money-laundering and financing of terrorism; the execution of the agreements made with the Netherlands regarding the financing of the national recovery of St. Maarten, including the financing of the rehabilitation of the airport; concluding the budget for 2020; furthering the preparation of the execution of the scheduled elections; and realising electoral reform by bringing the Ordinance for the Registration and Finances of Political Parties and the Election Ordinance in accordance with the Constitution,” Holiday said.
He said giving priority to and following through on existing government commitments on these issues will provide for needed continuity to effectively address the challenges St. Maarten faces despite the political developments.
“I must stress that the level of urgency in two cases demands that you must act immediately: the first pressing course of action is the handling of the amendment to the penal procedural code as part of our international commitment to combat money-laundering and financing of terrorism. This is necessary to reduce the risk of being blacklisted.
“And the second urgent course of action is the signing of the pending loan agreements for the financing of the rehabilitation of our airport as part of our commitments with the bondholders, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank and the Netherlands. This is necessary to help secure our airport and our country’s long term economic recovery.”
He stressed that acting immediately means ensuring that Parliament and government make and execute decisions regarding the amendment of the penal code and regarding the airport financing by the end of this week. “Not doing so can come at a high price which we cannot afford. To achieve any of these urgent objectives we will have to work together at home and with others. It is, as such, in our interest to take the lead in that regard,” he stressed.
He urged the new government to apply the guiding principle of cooperation which underpins the constitution in the handling of these urgent matters for the country’s future.
He told the ministers that “a great responsibility” rests with them. “Your decisions will have lasting influences on the lives of the people of St. Maarten. Thus, as you deliberate on taking action on the matters before you during your governing period, I wish you wisdom, individually and jointly, in the conduct of your responsibilities as you seek to meet your constitutional responsibility to the people of St. Maarten.”
